You Can't Love The Dead (Part 2 of 4)
by tjw242
Summary: (SEQUEL) Nico and Percy, now dating, move to New Rome hoping for a fresh start while helping rebuild it. But the Fates think otherwise. Nico has to deal with homophobic Romans while Percy has to deal with horny Romans (one, really). Along with Rachael bringing foreboding news, Nico's being haunted. Will Nico relapse into self-harm again? (Contains: swearing, rape) [A Percico Fic]
1. Zeus, The Best And Greatest

**You Can't Love The Dead**

****[I'm posting this in celebration of _finally_ finishing BoO!] **

**What is up guys, thank you for making it all the way to the sequel series, but if you're new here, here's a crash course:**

**Nico tries to kill himself after the Giant War and Percy saves him only to request Nico stays in Cabin Three as he's lost his shadow-travelling. After a short experience with anorexia, cutting, Persephone, Percy's dead ex-girlfirend's (Annabeth) goodbye letter, sexual tension and some laurel wreaths, Percy and Nico finally admit their love for each other much to the delight of Aphrodite who accounts for all of the reactions of a basic fangirl. Poseidon's okay with it but Hades kinda isn't, Percy heals Nico's scars after Nico thinks Percy was breaking up with him whom then suffered a short bout of amnesia after getting his powers back but they kissed (a lot) and made up and now both are being sent to Camp Jupiter to help rebuild it after Gaia's war.**

**Anyway… This story has more new character interaction, and as impossible as it may seems, more drama. Ugh. Why do I do this to myself?**

**I'm kind of sad because I began to write this, then changed the ending to YCLS, so I had to rewrite this entire first chapter _**

**Enjoy nonetheless.**

**_Warning: _****this story will still contain explicit sex, kinda rape (how do you have ****_"kinda rape"?_****), swearing and violence.**

**Enjoy (And yes, the title is a clue to up coming events…)**

**I OWN NOTHING EXCEPT THE PLOT****

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><p><em>~ 1 ~<em>

"Hey Nico?"

Nico di Angelo looked over to his boyfriend, Percy Jackson, son of Poseidon.

"Yeah?"

They were both tired and hadn't spoken for the last few hours as they rode the bus to Camp Jupiter, only holding hands and taking turns napping. Sure, they could've gone a thousand (faster) different ways, but when Percy suggested rockin' it like mortals for a day, Nico couldn't help but accept.

They were on their way to Camp Jupiter because, in the Giant War it had been destroyed when the Greeks collaborated with the Romans there. Before they could launch the last attack, Gaia brought it to them. The demigods won, but the sweeping valley both boys had grown to attached to had been razed. The Romans had happily moved into Camp Half-Blood for the few weeks following, but were anxious to return home. Reyna had requested workers, and Percy had accepted, but only if Nico came. Percy had taken it upon himself to take care of Nico when the son of Hades had tried to kill himself, twice actually. Oh right, the cutting thing.

"Why cutting? Like, what made you pick that?"

So there they were, only a few minutes away from the place that would be their home for the next few weeks, and Percy was asking Nico the question the boy himself had trouble answering.

He looked at Percy with tired eyes. Was he prepared to answer? In his mind, Nico just wanted to get away, forever.

The first time, Nico had lost sight of his purpose not only at Camp Half-Blood, but as a demigod and a person. The second time, Nico believed Percy had said he didn't love him, and heartbreak amplified all of his original reasons for dying.

But that wasn't what Percy was asking. Nico had told Percy he'd been cutting for three years, even though Nico's body was now bare of scars— the hesitantly accepted gift from Percy. Percy wanted to know why Nico had _started_.

"B-" Nico began, but Percy shushed him. Well then. Nico's first assumption was that Percy had spotted a monster, but Nico turned in his horribly uncomfortable seat to see the familiar tunnel end that was the entrance to Camp Jupiter. Even better, the boys had someone waiting for them.

_~ O ~_

Nico had noticed a sudden lack of campers the last day that he and Percy had spent in Camp Half-Blood, and Percy had reminded him that all the part-time campers had returned to their schools (Sally said Percy could take a week to help the Romans and make sure Nico was settled in before going back as well). So, Nico didn't know why Rachael Elizabeth Dare was waiting for them at the bus stop next to the service door that served as Camp Jupiter's _first_ defence. And dressed as a Greek goddess, no less.

The boys raced off the bus and Rachael grinned at them. Before she could speak, Percy caught her in a bear hug.

"Whoa there, Percy, save some for your boyfriend," She said through laughs. _Right,_ Nico reminded himself, O_racle stuff, of course Rachael knows._

"Hey Nico," Rachael said, softer, and went over to hug the younger demigod. He attempted a smile and greeted her back. He'd been prepared to tell Percy, then Rachael had interrupted. Nico fought the urge to blame the girl. Grudges had always been his weakness, but Percy had shown him the importance of forgiveness. Anyway, it's not like Rachael had planned it. Nico looked at the Oracle.

Or did she? Nico had just enough time to shoot Rachael a questioning look before Percy spoke.

"What's with the get up?" Percy asked, biting back giggles. Rachael looked down at her gown.

"Oh, school dress-up day. I thought it would be funny, y'know, an inside joke." Her serious face took over. "Didn't know I'd get a message to meet you guys here. Together, no less."

Neither of the demigods knew exactly what Rachael was trying to get at with that comment, but she continued anyway.

"I'm glad to see you guys are happy with each other." She said. She and Percy continued to talk and catch up, but Nico was struck. He felt a sudden, horrible weight settle in his gut, turning around, Nico looked back into the now-empty tunnel. He looked into the shadows, almost watching Rachael's words echo further and further into the darkness. He wasn't afraid of the dark. He wasn't.

_I'm glad to see you guys are happy with each other _

The words echoed not only down the tunnel, but inside Nico's mind.

_You guys are happy with each other_

Gods, what was with the sudden onslaught of nausea?

_You guys are happy_

Nico didn't feel like it was his voice anymore.

_With each other_

Why couldn't Nico stop the words?

_You guys_

Staring into the dark tunnel, Nico wasn't afraid of the dark.

_Are happy_

He wasn't. He really wasn't.

_With each other_

He was afraid of what was in the dark.

_~ O ~_

Percy looked over to Nico, who was staring into the tunnel they were nearly out of. Rachael stopped talking her mortal drabble once they both saw Nico's expression. To say Nico looked like he'd seen a ghost just wouldn't cut it. Nico looked like he'd just seen his own corpse.

"Nico?" Percy relaxed once Nico turned to face him. "I love you."

Those three words held huge meaning to anyone, but it was the key phrase Percy and Nico shared. It represented so much of what they shared, but mostly when Percy had started freaking out in the lake back at Camp Half-Blood and Nico reassured Percy he'd done nothing wrong.

Nico's pained expression relaxed. Percy knew Nico had gone through so much more than him, not only in their Tartarus episodes but in life. It was only fair that Nico had his freak out moments, as long as it didn't end with him cutting. Percy simply assumed Nico was getting lost in a memory, staring into the tunnel, and knew to ease Nico out of it. Rachael was watching the two intently.

"Percy," Nico said with a small smile which Percy returned in full. "I lo—" Nico suddenly collapsed. Percy caught him before he hit the ground, and told Rachael to get to camp and get help. Percy turned back to Nico, who was holding his head, obviously in pain. It reminded Percy, horribly enough, of when he'd once pulled Nico too deep in the lake. The pressure, Percy heard, was excruciating. But they were above ground— well, in a tunnel. Percy knew being underground could have similar effects, but it shouldn't have mattered; underground was Nico's father's domain, if anything, Nico was more comfortable underground. Percy knew Nico could be agoraphobic at the best of times. Not thinking and just knowing he needed to move Nico, Percy slung the younger boy's arm over his shoulders and lugged him toward the door Rachael had managed to get open. It wasn't hard, even Romans know to open the doors for a goddess, Greek or not. Or at least, what appears to be a goddess. The were more than a little surprised when what was obviously a mortal burst in, followed by Percy Jackson and a not-great-looking Nico di Angelo.

As soon as they were out in the open air, though, Nico said he was fine.

"Are you kidding me?" Percy asked, squinting in the sudden sunlight. Nico still got out of Percy's grasp.

"Really, Percy. I said I'm fine." Nico implored. Giving his boyfriend a _we're talking about this later _look, Percy turned back to Rachael. By now, more than a few sentries had turned their attention to the girl.

"You're late," The familiar voice of Reyna Ramirez-Arellano caught everyone's attention. Percy straightened up, Rachael pulled an innocent face and Nico, much to the surprise of everyone, went over to hug the praetor. She happily returned it, dropping the formal aura.

"Hey _Rara,_" Nico teased, and everyone braced themselves for one beheaded Greek. Reyna simply laughed and moved on to greet Percy, stopping at Rachael.

"Picked up a new one?" Reyna asked.

"Actually—" Percy began, but Rachael interrupted.

" I'm Rachael Dare, Oracle of Camp Half-Blood." She said, extending a hand. Percy grimaced at her introduction.

The head of Camp Jupiter examined Rachael's extended with a passive expression, but didn't take it. She gave a questioning glance to Percy: _does this girl know any Roman etiquette at all? _

Percy shook his head. Rachael caught their silent conversation and withdrew her hand.

"Well, _Rachael Dare,_ I suppose you'll be staying." Rachael responded with a grin. "Nico can show you to the Ambassador's cabin. Percy, if you will," Percy nodded, and followed Reyna after pecking Nico on the cheek, which left the younger boy blushing furiously and a few Romans chuckling.

_~ O ~_

"How's Malcolm?" Nico asked Rachael as the two walked to the barracks. A dozen demigods were undercover at Rachael's school, protecting the Oracle. Nico was most familiar with Malcolm, that being said, he had never talked to the guy.

"He's… Good." Rachael said quietly. Nico stole a glance at her to see why she was being so quiet, and was more than surprised to see her blushing. Surely…

Rachael caught his look and playfully hit his arm. Nico was about to ask what sent Rachael to Caldecott Tunnel, but Jason came jogging up to them.

"Hey guys," He said, and the Greeks greeted him back. Nico's good mood was suddenly soured. Ever since Jason had come back to Camp Half-Blood to "console" Percy over Nico's hospital visit, Nico couldn't help but acknowledge his own possessiveness over Percy, especially to other boys' affections. It didn't help that Jason was asking about Percy.

Nico was just tuning into the conversation between Jason and Rachael when a new voice caught everyone's attention.

"Where is she?! This is blasphemy!" Nico groaned at the sight of a scrawny blond making his way to the trio. Nico leaned over to one now-quite-nervous Rachael.

"Octavian, augur." Was all he could make before Octavian was upon them. A crowd was drawing, and Jason tried to step in Octavian's way. The smaller boy simply pushed the praetor out of the way. Octavian took one step toward Rachael and was suddenly holding a knife. Observers cried out, and Jason would've been too late to stop the augur.

Before anyone could really see what happened, Octavian was on the ground, his sacrificial knife in Nico's hand. With a contented smile and a look that demanded no questions be asked, Nico dropped the knife in the dirt, took Rachael by the arm and continued to show her around.

Jason couldn't help but chuckle.

_~ O ~_

"What's your Oracle doing out of camp?" Reyna questioned as she and Percy walked through the _Principia_, Romans calling out greetings to Percy Jackson, former praetor. Percy tried to keep his attention on Reyna, but it was difficult. Though many building were in ruins, and the aqueducts mostly pillars of stone; various waterfalls disrupting work on New Rome, Camp Jupiter was still beautiful.

"She goes to mortal school for most of the year, where we have demigods guarding her. I wasn't expecting her to join us here and now, though." Percy answered, hoping Reyna wouldn't be too mad.

Looking around, Percy hadn't spotted Jason, yet, but was instead greeted by Octavian. _"Greeted",_ of course meaning getting yelled at.

"Having Greeks in the camp is one thing, Reyna," He spat while striding up to them, "but their _Oracle?_ That lying, false, Greek bitch cannot be here!" Percy knew to let Reyna take this one, as much as he wanted to skewer Octavian there and then.

"They are guests, just like the other Greeks Camp Half-Blood has so _generously_ handed over to us." She said, clearly ignoring Octavian's choice of language. He just sneered at Percy at stalked off.

"Still not warming up to us?" Percy asked, knowing Octavian had been shitty ever since his siege on Camp Half-Blood had been rendered futile. Still, he was let off since the Romans still needed their _augur_. Reyna laughed softly.

"No, unfortunately not."

Reyna and Percy walked the entirety of the camp, chatting and Reyna pointing out where needed what, going in-depth on the aqueducts. Percy grinned as he felt the pull of the Little Tiber, almost begging for a path to run again.

Even though Percy was overjoyed to be back in Camp Jupiter, he couldn't help but feel dread in the back of his mind. _Probably just from Octavian's outburst,_ he told himself. As they neared the barracks, Percy caught Jason.

"Hey, Percy!"

Jason had returned to being praetor of Camp Jupiter when Piper and Frank had both died, only coming back to Camp Half-Blood when Nico was in hospital and Percy was despairing at his side. Jason had been great, listening to everything Percy said, no matter how dismal is got. Percy definitely owed Jason.

"Hey man," He greeted back, ignoring Reyna's glare for being so informal to a praetor.

"I missed you and Nico this morning, coming back— we barely got the pegasi to take off without you, had to tell them you two had already left." Percy grinned.

"We had, actually. Nico and I took a bus so we had to get an earlier start." Jason frowned while nodding in understanding, not bothering to ask why the two had taken mortal transport.

"Anyway," He continued, "just ran into Nico and Rachael, who just ran into Octavian." Jason began to laugh.

"Percy, you taught Nico so well, I swear. Octavian was on his ass but I was on the ground laughing." Jason managed. Reyna scowled, but Percy returned Jason's grin. It wasn't heartfelt though, he couldn't help but wonder why Nico would need to take down Octavian. He said goodbye to the praetors and headed off for the Ambassador's cabin, where he, Nico and Rachael would be staying.

As soon as he was out of eyeshot, Percy dropped the smile. He hadn't taught Nico anything in the nearly two weeks they'd been living together. No training, no classes, nothing. Where Nico got his moves from, Percy could guess it was from his months in the Underworld. Or perhaps Tartarus.

Percy shivered at the memory, brushing off other thoughts and simply wanting to get back to Nico. They needed to talk.

_~ O ~_

Even though the pounding in his head had waned once he and Percy had made it into Camp Jupiter, Nico still felt dread settle in his stomach. It was certainly different to the tunnel incident, but it wasn't any better.

Nico left Rachael to get settled into her room, which she was sharing with some other Greeks. Nico made them promise to act as her guards, especially if Octavian was near.

Nico knew Percy wouldn't put out if they ended up getting their Oracle killed.

With a dangerous smirk, Nico entered the cabin he and Percy were sharing. It was a simple, worker's cabin, but Nico loved it because it was only him and Percy.

Despite his newfound contentment, the dread didn't disappear from Nico's stomach. He sat down on one of the beds, trying to think of something else other than that he might be being haunted.

Nico exited his thoughts when someone came in. A soft knock and a head of black hair peeking in, and Percy was sitting next to Nico. Just like that, the nausea retreated, which Nico thought was strange because it got worse and worse until Percy came in. That wasn't normal haunting behaviour, Nico knew. But at that moment, he was too distracted by his boyfriend to care.

"Are you okay?" Percy asked, obviously about the Caldecott Tunnel episode. Nico mutely nodded, and instead of talking, opted for pulling Percy in for a kiss. It had been such a long, stressful day; Nico was ready for some alone time. Alone with Percy, of course.

The older demigod accepted the kiss, but not accepting Nico's answer. With an entertained grin, Percy pull back.

"What happened with Octavian?" He asked. Nico looked at his hands, obviously trying to hide his pride.

"He tried to knife Rachael, so… It was a simple disarm," He said, but Percy found it hilarious.

"Nico!" Percy's laugh was infectious, "you floored him!"

Nico just chuckled at the memory, and resumed the kiss, which Percy didn't break this time.

_~ O ~_

Sadly enough, their night couldn't end there. Almost an hour later (don't ask) Percy had to drag Nico out of bed to come and eat. They reluctantly made their way to the Roman dining hall, located in the _Principia_. The two were met with giggles and a few catcalls when they entered, but Percy refused to remove his arm from around Nico's waist, much to the younger boy's discomfiture. Once they were seated, Percy leaned in close to Nico's ear.

"Dinner tomorrow will be a little flashier," He said, and Nico shot him a questioning look.

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><p><strong>**Hehe, take that Octavian! But is Nico being haunted? That would put a bit of a dampener of everything… And what the hell was with the tunnel? Though it sounds like Percy has something special planned for tomorrow night 0.0**<strong>


	2. Fift- TWO Shades Of Blue

****Oh my gods, you guys have waited a stupid amount of time for this chapter, and I deserve a kick in the ****_podex, _****but I really hope you enjoy. Chapter three is well underway, but I couldn't post it tonight- I'll polish it off tomorrow.  
>If you'd like to know the reason for no updating for so long, feel free to message me!<strong>

**Song for this chapter: Above The Water by Art Of Sleeping.**

**TW: Homophobic comments ****

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><p><em>~2~<em>

The next morning, Percy woke up before Nico.

And Percy, like every other morning, took a few minutes to simply admire Nico's sleeping form. Nico was still skinny, but not dangerously. Percy looked at the curves of Nico's legs, all the way from toe to buttocks. Percy refrained from doing something cute, but naughty; he didn't want Nico to wake up just yet. Percy loved the way Nico stretched out while he slept, how his breathing was so much more regular than when the boy was awake. Percy's eyes traced up Nico's chest, and even though the boy didn't have much muscle, his obvious Italian build was just delicious. Percy admired Nico's face— his sharp cheekbones, met by dark lashes. Dark, full lips quivered slightly as he slept. Nico was so damn beautiful, but the physical feature Percy loved best was simply Nico's hair. Looking at it now, Percy really couldn't resist. The son of Poseidon's hand snaked out, the fingers threading themselves into Nico's dark locks. Sally Jackson had always remarked about how dark Percy's hair was, and that it was totally unique. Percy couldn't help but feel a sense of belonging as he stroked Nico's hair, which was easily as dark as his.

The younger boy opened his eyes at Percy's petting.

"Hey," He whispered, relishing that early-morning, just-woke-up feeling. Percy grinned as he watched Nico writhe and stretch in the sheets, his meagre muscles flexing.

"Ready to work for some Romans?" Nico just groaned in response, to which Percy laughed.

Gods, Nico was beautiful.

_~ O ~_

Gods, Percy was beautiful.

Nico had made his way up the coliseum of New Rome, finally climbing up to the very top and sitting on the high stone wall. He had a clear view of the work on the aqueduct that lead through New Rome, and a clear view of his boyfriend. Percy was obviously the specialist in this type of work, having a natural inclination for architecture when it came to water. Percy was standing where the main path of the aqueduct had broken off, holding back a huge wave of water while other workers finished the newest segment of the aqueduct they were fixing. One by one, the Greeks and Romans called out to Percy that they were done, and climbed up the slope of the aqueduct to stand on the sides. Once the path was clear, Percy released the water, letting it flow over the remainder of the aqueduct's path and fall into the trench they'd previously dug that lead to the lake near New Rome.

Nico nearly had a heart attack the first time he saw Percy simply drop his arms and stand there. Nico couldn't see how the water barely even touched Percy, simply splashing onto his shirt, at most. The wave of water subsided, and the process began again: Percy called out orders for the workers to remove certain parts of the stone foundations that made up the pillars under the huge aqueduct.

"Percy!" One of the Roman workers called out, "Is this pillar alright?"

Nico's boyfriend sloshed through the water rushing past his knees, making it all the way to the edge of the newest segment. He looked down at the jagged rock of the pillar the aqueduct would soon meet.

"No!" He called back, then began to make his way to the scaffolding beside where they were working. "The internal foundation is okay, but the stone has to be replaced past the twelfth segment!"

As Percy climbed down, Romans hoisted each other up on ropes and harnesses to the broken pillar, and began to break apart the remaining thirteenth and fourteenth segments. Percy knew it would take the rest of the day, and made his way to Temple Hill; where Nico said he'd be earlier.

Nico intercepted Percy as he passed the coliseum, running out the front doors to grapple his boyfriend in a hug.

"You were so great!" Nico kissed Percy, who was pleasantly surprised at the ambush. Nico wasn't lying— it was late in the afternoon, and Percy had been using his powers for most of the day.

Percy laughed in appreciation of the comment once they split. Of course Nico was watching him work.

"How's the Pluto Temple?" Percy asked, Nico scoffed in response.

"Ruins. Octavian obviously directed the work everywhere except there to get at me." Percy laughed.

"He does know you're _Hades's_ kid, right?" Nico just joined his laughter and said he didn't know. Nico's laughter was cut short as the nausea returned, along with a shadow at the edge of his vision. Nico wasn't scared of ghosts, but something made him spin around, determined to see what was haunting him.

"Nico?" Percy's voice rang in Nico's ears, "What is it?"

Nico's panicked eyes scanned the bricks and stucco that made the walls of the Roman buildings and the dark alleyways between them. Nothing.

"Just… Lares." Nico said, looking up at Percy with a barely reassuring smile. Percy leaned down and kissed Nico, whose clothes were now slightly damp from Percy's hugging.

"I'm sorry," Percy whispered in Nico's ear, holding him close. Nico didn't return the hug, instead concentrating on the nausea and trying to pinpoint the spirit, like tracing a shadow signature. Still nothing. Nico sighed and let himself relax in Percy's grip.

Percy wasn't apologising for getting Nico's clothes slightly wet— he wasn't even apologising for something he'd done. Nico had so many shadows from his past, Percy felt like all he could do was apologise for them still haunting him. He could understand how much it scared Nico when the boy was caught off guard like just now— even Percy had moments when someone across the street looked like Zoë, or someone talking sounded like Annabeth.

Percy held Nico even tighter.

"C'mon, let's go," He whispered. They made their way back to the cabin, Nico mute the whole way.

The younger boy finally lightened up when Percy told him to get dressed for dinner. Percy told Nico to meet him outside the barracks in a few minutes.

Nico _finally_ decided what to wear and headed outside. It was warm, but not unbearably so. The sun had disappeared over the horizon, and pale blue light flooded the valley. Nico spotted Percy standing beside _Via Praetoria_ and went to join him. Percy just grinned and wrapped an arm around Nico's shoulder when they were standing side by side.

"Y'know," Nico mumbled, "Like, a month ago, I would've killed for this to be happening."

They both simply stood there, looking over _Via Praetoria _and the sunflower fields that encompassed it. Pollen drifted lazily into the air to be swept over to the Field of Mars by the breeze.

"I had something sp—" Nico began as Percy said, "I know last—" They chuckled quietly.

"You first, Sea Prince."

At that, Percy lost the confidence he'd obviously been saving up for the last few minutes. His eyes darted to the barracks, then down the path before them.

"I know _last_ night was our first night in New Rome, but Reyna only wrangled us a reservation at this restaurant for tonight." Percy just smiled at Nico's expression.

"Which is fine… Because tonight's our one-month!" Nico finished. He couldn't help but leap into Percy's embrace and the two laughed at the announcement.

"We survived a whole month!" They laughed again, and Percy couldn't help but feel that Nico's chortle was the sweetest thing he'd ever heard.

_~ O ~_

And he heard it all through the night. By the time the back-up Greeks had arrived at New Rome, most of the work had been done— just the big infrastructure projects remained. So, Percy and Nico made their way toward the citadel of New Rome, where they had dinner at a restaurant. Nico was struck with gratitude, but his high dropped when Percy whispered to him Reyna had shouted them their dinner. Nico hated being indebted to people. Percy caught the expression and told him not to worry— this was his payment for overseeing the aqueduct works. Nico couldn't have been more flattered and relaxed for the remainder of the night. The food was delicious, everyone was friendly. It was a good night, and by Nico's standards, the best night of his life.

Into the hours of the morning, the Greeks finally left. They barely made it into a nearby alleyway before Nico's arms were around Percy's neck, the older boy hugging him close. They kissed, but eventually drew back to simply look into each others' eyes.

"How did I end up with you?" Nico whispered. Percy just grinned, and continued to ravish his boyfriend.

A snort interrupted them. The two looked back in the direction of the street to see a Lare standing there. Percy shot Nico a look, but Nico's expression said he didn't recognise the ghost either.

"Filthy Greeks, doing your heretic deeds in our streets," The spectre spat. With that, Percy's arms ripped themselves from Nico, instead going for Riptide. Nico tried to grab at Percy's arm, but the older boy continued the stride toward the ghost.

"What did you say?" Nico rarely saw Percy angry, but at that moment, he was furious.

"I said you should take your impure actions out of our city, or preferably stop doing them all together. But of course, knowing you Greeks that probably won't happen. Your Anteros damned you all, Percy Jackson. Only makes sense since he's your bro—" Percy raised his sword, but his arm was caught again.

"Come on, Percy. He's not worth our time." Percy was struck, how could Nico not take offence at this douchebag? Percy capped his sword and let his arm fall around Nico's shoulders, where it seemed to be so much these days. They walked away, but not before Percy caught the Lare's satisfied smirk.

They walked in the direction of the barracks, and didn't speak until Nico felt the aggression coming from Percy die down.

"I'm sorry, Nico,"

"'T'sokay," Nico mumbled. Usually it was Percy pulling Nico from hostile situations, but he'd obviously taught Nico too well. Still, it was meant to be _their_ night, and it had been interrupted.

But where he was angry, Nico was sad.

Percy stopped them halfway into the sunflower fields.

"It is, Nico. Tonight's still our night. No jerk wad can change that, okay?" Nico nodded and Percy kissed him again, gently. Nico returned it, and they shared that moment. The sway of the sunflowers letting them know there was nothing else in the world except the two of them in that second.

_~ O ~_

The two made it back to their cabin, thankful the Lares of the camp didn't really like the sunflower fields. They slipped between buildings, not caring about looking suspicious, and ducked into their cabin. Percy was quietly closing the door but spun around when he heard Nico burst out laughing. Percy soon joined him.

There, on the small coffee table that complemented the room, was a plate of blue cupcakes. Half were sea blue, and the others were almost navy. Percy didn't hesitate to scoop one up while Nico read the card tucked in between two.

_"__Percy and Nico,"_ He began, and Percy turned his attention to Nico. _"Congrats on one month and thanks for helping out this week in New Rome. Regards, Reyna and Jason. But mostly Jason."_

Percy laughed and called him out for the last comment. Nico laughed in return and showed where Jason had, actually, written the last bit in brackets. Percy laughed again, and Nico grabbed a light blue cupcake when he saw Percy had one of the darker ones. They shared a smile, sat down on the couch in the room, with Percy's arm around Nico and enjoyed their dessert.

"Hey Nico?"

"Yeah?"

Nico was struck with déjà vu, and realised this was the bus all over again.

"I didn't get an answer for my question." Was all Percy said. He didn't need to point out what he was talking about, and Nico leaned into his embrace and defeat.

"Well… It mainly just… Happened." Percy let him go on.

"Kids of Hades are never accepted or welcomed. I didn't know what to do, or what I wanted, but I knew I didn't want to be there. I'd only ever been happy with Bianca, so I went to the Underworld." Percy already knew all of this, but chose to let Nico go at his own pace.

"But we know how that song and dance goes. No Bianca, Hades rarely talked to me, instead letting Persephone do the interacting. I was helping out there, with souls and stuff. She and I got closer, but I still wasn't happy. I got sick of that, and came back up here." Percy couldn't see Nico's face as he spoke, but could feel the room darken.

"But the mentality I'd been hiding from in the Underworld came back, and I was alone again. So I helped out you guys with the whole Gaia thing… But it wouldn't go away." Percy wrapped his other arm around Nico and gently nuzzled into the boy's hair. Nico relaxed in Percy's arms and kept speaking.

"I hadn't been happy for a long time. Being in the Underworld didn't help that. I felt useless, with everything. I had no idea what to do, or what I was meant to do, especially after the war. Helping out others with the dead was good, but reminded me of the Underworld. I just… Wasn't wanted and knew it." Nico sniffled and Percy hugged him tighter.

"It started ages ago because… Being in the Underworld made me feel like a bit of a ghost, so I wanted to feel real. The pain helped because I knew I couldn't leave." Nico whispered the last bit.

"So why did you leave?" Percy asked, not realised how choked up he'd become.

"I lost track of time down there, which reminded me of the Lotus. I got scared. Not a good thing to be when you're in the Underworld. Before… I knew it—" Nico let out one sob, and stopped talking to let Percy hug him tighter.

"I was in Tartarus." Was all Nico said, his eyes dark. There was a minute of silence. Once again, Percy thanked the gods he had Annabeth with him in that gods-forsaken place.

"After that, Hades was always trying to get me to leave— telling me I still didn't belong there and I'd just get in the way while getting myself killed. I'd learned all I could from the ghosts, so eventually I told them I was." Percy felt a hot tear drop onto his arm.

"I wasn't going to, Percy." He whispered, "But… Neither of them said anything to stop me. Wished me luck. Goodbye. That's when I really left. I was upset, and got caught off guard." Nico let out a dark laugh while wiping his tears. Percy was keeping up with the timeline— Nico was caught by the twin giants and had to go into a death sleep.

"Next thing I know, I'm being rescued. I still felt so…" Percy didn't push him for details.

"I know… It's alright, Nico." They both shut up and savoured each other's embrace.

"The ghost feeling didn't stop, and after delivering the Athena Parthenos, it got so much worse. The cutting got worse— more, but I could feel it turn into something else. I couldn't feel anything, except being unwanted. I couldn't go to the Underworld. I was hated at camp. I wanted to leave. I wanted to be somewhere where I was like everyone else, but… Percy." The arms around Nico tightened again, but Nico's warning wasn't for Percy to comfort Nico; it was for Percy to prepare.

"That wouldn't happen while I was alive."

Silence again. Percy buried his face in Nico's hair, silently thanking Persephone for not letting Nico die.

"Well it has, Nico. You belong with me. Nothing any one can do or crap they say will ever change that in the slightest. Alright?" Nico nodded, and Percy noticed him scratching his arm. Gently, not letting Nico know Percy saw what he was doing, Percy took hold of Nico's wrists and wrapped his arms around Nico's torso, just like that day in the lake when Percy healed Nico's (physical) scars.

"I love you."

"I love you."

Percy squeezed Nico again.

"I've loved you for a long time, and I'm sorry it took me so long to act on it… I'm sorry for Hades being a douche… Nico? I'm sorry for the others at camp being mean."

"Percy… Don't—"

"I'm sorry you went to the Underworld and stayed for so long. I'm sorry for the Lotus, and I'm sorry about Tartarus. I'm sorry you didn't feel needed or wanted. I'm sorry you didn't feel comfortable on the _Argo_, and I'm sorry for bringing you into the war, and giving you such a hard task with the Parthenos."

Nico was crying, violently.

"I'm sorry you still felt useless, even when you saved all our asses. I'm sorry the other campers weren't grateful, and didn't accept you. But, Nico? The thing I'm most sorry about, I'm sorry I didn't do this sooner, because, Nico," The younger boy tried to hide his face in Percy's shirt, but Percy made him look into his eyes with a soft _hon._

"Because, Nico, I'm pointing out all the shit other people have done, and you're crying like it's your fault." Now Percy let Nico freely cry. He didn't need to say anything else, it was all silent conversation from then on.

They fell asleep in each others' arms.

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><p><strong>**If you want something specific to happen, please leave a comment or private message me, I love hearing what you guys think :P<strong>

**-TJ****


	3. All Good Things In Threes

****Yes, here's chapter three for those of you who have actually read up to this point. Well done, and thank you. If you leave a review, I will give you a shoutout, and if you review/favourite a story, I will read and review one of yours, no joke!**

**Also, to any Lares lovers, sorry for making them so mean ): This is kind of a shorter chapter, but I promise ****_*major* _****stuff is going to go down to funky town in the next two chapters :3**

**Song for this chap: ****_One Less Bell To Answer/A House Is Not A Home_**** — Glee Cast****

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><p><em>~3~<em>

'So what happened at the tunnel?' Percy asked as he threw on his shirt for the day. Nico knew it would soon come off as Percy worked on the aqueducts.

'Hmm?' Percy turned to his boyfriend, who was stretched out on the couch, watching Percy dress.

'Nico. Tunnel.' He repeated, trying not to laugh.

'Oh, right. The tunnel. Just got distracted—' Percy knew Nico getting "Distracted" meant he was taken by a memory— it was a code they'd established a while ago, 'and then my head started to hurt.'

Percy shot Nico a look— he was obviously toning the story down.

'All right, well… I'm already late,' He planted a kiss on Nico's head, 'so I've gotta go, but try and figure it out, okay?'

Nico could barely say, "Sure thing" before Percy was out the door. The son of Hades turned over on his spot on the couch, then rolled over again. Convinced he was properly bored without Percy, Nico decided to get his contribution to New Rome over as quick as he could today, so that he could spend as much time as possible watching Percy from his perch on the coliseum.

Shrugging on his usual ensemble, Nico trudged out of the cabin he and his boyfriend shared. He wasn't halfway through the sunflower fields before he heard the voices. Nico just hunched his shoulders and continued his well-practiced gait. He was used to being taunted.

_'__Filthy Greek, you should leave.' _That one sounded old.

_'__You and your boyfriend.' _A second voice said.

_'__You'll only bring darkness here.' _That voice was definitely menacing.

_'__Along with your unnatural ways.' _Nico scoffed at the tautology; _don't the Romans consider evil and two guys in love the same thing?_

There was a snort of disapproval, _'You say you love hi—' _At that comment, Nico stopped walking and spun around to give a death-stare to any Lares hanging around him, and especially the one that had dared to say he didn't love Percy. Nico could stand anyone — living or dead — not liking his relationship with the son of Poseidon, but he would _not_ tolerate anyone calling it insincere. The spectres quickly dissipated into the morning mist, and all went silent. Even Nico felt the deathly silence surrounding him as his aura made every living thing in the area feel threatened.

Calming himself down as much as he could, the Italian pulled up the collar of his jacket, and continued walking toward New Rome.

Behind him, Nico could hear the Lares still gossiping about him and Percy. With an exasperated sigh, Nico kept walking.

~ O ~

It was _way_ too early to have to deal with someone like Octavian, and Nico had hoped Hazel could finally stand up to the augur and deal with the Pluto proceedings, she was still in Camp Half-Blood, and since Nico had come before her with Percy and the Pluto _everything_ was in such a state of disrepair, Nico had to supervise.

He made his way over the Little Tiber and up Temple Hill, where many construction works greeted the eye. Since everyone's tales of the war with Gaia had been recounted, and all the temples for the minor deities built, Temple Hill was a lot more crowded. But Nico didn't mind— the Romans could arrange their temples however they wanted. He was only here for one.

Looking at the ruins of the Pluto temple, Nico could've thought that someone —_cough_ Octavian _cough _— had purposely knocked down the temple, right to the ground.

'So, looks like you have some work to do.' The smug voice from behind didn't catch Nico off guard at all. He knew Octavian would show up to gloat sooner or later. Nico turned around to face the augur, and just to scare the blonde a little more, Nico smiled a bit. The son of Apollo looked just the same, somehow.

_'__I _have work to do?' Nico snapped his fingers, and Octavian paled a bit as the ground shook. 'I don't think so.'

Nico turned back around, and though he'd never really seen a zombie movie, he could imagine that this was what it looked like. Clumps of earth jumped into the air and landed on skeletal appendages that dragged more bones out of the dirt behind them. Soon, there was a swarm of zombies in various states of decomposition standing at attention in front of the son of Hades. Nico heard Octavian clear his throat and shuffle as if eh was about to leave, then stay in place. With a satisfied smirk the likes of which only Octavian could muster, Nico nodded to the wreck that used to be the Pluto temple. The corpses set to work, clearing away the rubble and salvaging useable materials. The zombies themselves probably wouldn't be able to manage the actual construction of the cabin, but Nico had that sorted out, too. Turning to face Octavian, the augur had repasted the usual smug expression on his face.

'Well, it looks like you have this sorted. Perhaps you could lend some of your workers to help with other parts of New Rome. Since you don't appear to be doing any of the work yourself, of course.' And with a conceited smile, the augur was gone. Nico was grateful for Octavian's sudden exit, even if it meant the blonde got the last laugh. Nico sat down on the spot to catch his breath. He mentally cursed himself for using so much power so soon after nearly being killed from it. No way soon would Nico be lending more zombie-power to _any_ cause.

'Why the long face?' A familiar voice chimed form above Nico. Standing as quickly as he could, Nico got to his feet and hugged Rachael, not minding getting some of her crazy hair in his face. She heartily returned the hug, and once they split, Rachael let Nico sit back down on the pitted ground, and soon joined him.

'So what do you think of our Roman equivalents?' Nico asked after the pleasantries. Rachael scoffed.

'Half of them hate me, half of them want me to replace _their_ oracle. Just a little split.' They both chuckled at the contrast, but Nico soon remembered that he wanted to talk to Rachael about some important business.

'So what brought you to Camp Jupiter, or Caldecott Tunnel to meet us, in the first place?' Nico asked.

'Oh, the usual,' Rachael responded, waving a hand in casualness. 'Crazy voices, weird mist. Some godly message telling me to get there or suffer for eternity.' She waved her arms around, trying to display the craziness that had brought her to Nico and Percy. Nico frowned.

'A _god_ told you to go there? Are you sure?' Rachael seemed taken aback by Nico's serious tone.

'Well, I don't know, I mean, I hear a lot of voices… I couldn't be sure. It was pretty scary and convincing, though.' Nico nodded, knowing she wouldn't lie. _But what god would send the Greek oracle to the Roman camp without risking seriously pissing off Zeus? Maybe it _was_ Zeus, knowing Camp Jupiter would need Rachael soon. _

'Anyway, I know you and Percy are here to help out with the rebuilding—' Rachael nodded to the zombies fast at work, '— and stuff, but Nico, what happened at the tunnel?' Nico paused to gather his words, trying to decide how much to tell Rachael. 'You know I can help, or at least try, right?' she added at his hesitation. With a sigh, Nico spoke.

'I just… Suddenly started feeling really claustrophobic and it felt like… Like the Minotaur was about to run me down, or something.'

'So, you had a panic attack? Y'know, Nico, those are totally normal af—' 'No, it was more of a _demigod_ panic attack.' Rachael paused to think, and the warm breeze blew long curly strands over her face.

'So, a Mist-induced panic attack?' Her expression fell at Nico's dejected sigh.

'It just felt like I wasn't welcome there, like every part of my being wanted to run, but… Die, at the same time.'

Rachael blanched, and Nico felt bad for speaking so openly.

'Wow, that's… Pretty… Dark.' was all she could say. There was a silence, but it was soon filled.

'Oh my gods, I totally haven't asked about you and Percy! _Tell me everything!'_

Nico knew he had to pick his words carefully this time.

'Percy stopped me from killing myself a few times and finally convinced me that being abandoned by my family didn't mean I wasn't loved.' yup, Nico was happy with that. Rachael's eyes widened, and in a rare occasion, she was speechless.

It took a few more minutes, but she eventually managed, 'Oh.'

While she was still shell-shocked, Nico remembered the time.

'Oh, I'm going to meet up with Perce for lunch; see you later, Rachael.' Nico didn't really hear her muttered reply, instead striding toward the lake, and toward New Rome.

~ O ~

The first thought in Nico's mind when he saw it was _Oh, Hades to the no. _

The son of Hades was practically gagging on the sexual tension coming from where Jason was chatting to Percy. Increasing his walking by a considerable amount, Nico soon threw himself into Percy's waiting arms, and kept their kiss for a little longer than necessary. Finally turning to greet Jason, who was blushing all over, Nico said hi.

'Jason was just telling me how much the Romans are appreciating my help.' Percy noted, flashing Nico — who was still wrapped up in his tanned arms — a proud smile. Jason cleared his throat awkwardly. _Oh, you poor deluded fool. _That thought could've been directed at either Percy or Jason respectively.

Rather than openly act like a jealous girlfriend, Nico decided to deal with this head-on.

'So, Jason. Where are you helping out?'

'Oh,' Jason paused to clear his throat again and shove his fingers into the pockets of his jeans. 'I'm pretty much just supervising. Even though I'm back as praetor, Reyna's handling most of the designs, and I'm just watching everyone.' Jason gave a shrug.

'Like Percy?' Nico asked, and Jason smiled a little more than he should've.

'Yeah, I get to supervise the aqueduct, especially.' Nico could only respond with a not-really-interested _hmm,_ instead turning to look up at Percy.

'On that note, Perce, I was wondering if I could steal you from the aqueduct reconstruction to help out with the Pluto temple? Zombies can tear stuff down, not so good at putting it back up.'

Percy looked shocked for a minute, and Nico already knew his answer.

'Uh, you'd have to ask Jason, I guess.' The two turned to Jason, who looked hurriedly between the tow of them. Probably enticed by the baby-seal eyes Percy was giving, and the threatening bitch-face Nico really couldn't suppress.

'Um, I think, since the aqueducts are pretty much a first priority, I'm going to have to keep Percy.' Where the son of Poseidon simply said "oh well", Nico wanted to hiss that Percy was not Jason's to have, nor to keep.

'Well,' stated Percy after planting a quick kiss on Nico's head, 'I'd better get back to work. See you later, Nico. Jason.' and with that, Percy turned and walked back to the construction site for the largest aqueduct, and before Nico could think about going back to the Pluto temple, he turned to Jason, his trademark blink-wrong-at-me-and-you-die expression on his face.

'So…' Jason began. Nico just stared at him. He knew, and Jason knew he knew, and Nico knew Jason knew he knew.

'Um, I have to… Go and… Watch— do stuff.' Slower than Nico would've liked, Jason left. Which left Nico standing in the middle of New Rome wondering how he could possibly keep his boyfriend from someone like Jason. No chance.

* * *

><p><strong>**(This is a totally irrelevant AN, just go to the next chapter, please. Save your brain cells)  
>Hey guys, I felt a cold coming on prior to writing this chapter, so I just ate a bucketload of peanut MnM's and decided to be hardcore about it. Turns out eating a lot of chocolate and legumes before going through a cold isn't a good idea (who would've guessed it?!)<br>So, I pretty much spent all day going between my bed and the bathroom to be sick, but I just got sick of it (haha, is that a pun?), grabbed my computer, and I actually wrote this chapter sitting on the crapper. There you go, to any budding writers struggling with writer's block, just sit on the toilet. We all know that's where the most thinking happens, anyway.**

**Sushi for all, TJ out****


	4. Stolen Happiness For Everyone!

****Sorry for the delay y'all, I just wasn't comfortable with where the story was headed. But I finally just realised I should just change the story. So, it's gonna get ****_really_**** dark in the later chapters, but I hope everything next has a little more zeal :3**

**By the way, guys, it's the return of the fangirl. I know some of you don't like those bits, so I'll keep 'em short, but I just love them too much to not include them :P**

**OK, we have a few cray-cray realizay-zay in this chap, along with: Trigger Warning: some kissye-kissey-lovey-dovey, self harm, minor language and general angst.****

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><p>The next day, Nico was feeling even more unmotivated than usual. Percy shook his arm and chirped playful nothings in an attempt to get him out of bed, but he soon recognised the depressed Nico making a sullen reappearance.<p>

'What's up?' He crooned. Percy was practically lying on top of Nico, who was pushing his face further into his pillow with the more attempts Percy made to make everything seem normal.

'Nthngg…'

'Did something happen yesterday?' Nico's silence was all Percy needed. 'Look,' Percy tried once again to push his face next to Nico's, but the Italian just squirmed away. Hiding his hurt with a simple pout, Percy continued. 'I know things have been hard, and they will be hard, for a long time. But we are totally capable of figuring things out.' He kissed Nico's cheek before getting off of his boyfriend and heading for the door. Pausing a moment to give one last wistful look at Nico, Percy left.

With a sigh the son of Hades rolled over and none-too-gracefully lowered himself to the ground, hugging his knees and loathing _everything_. Except Percy. _Is this seriously all because I'm feeling possessive of Percy? Gods, being in a relationship is hard when it comes to people _not_ in the relationship… Scratch that, when it comes to people who aren't Percy, period. _

With a satisfied nod, Nico heaved himself off the ground and into the shower.

* * *

><p><em>'<em>_Oh honey, I know. But you guys are like that for a reason, don't wor—'_

_'__Shh!' The other Olympians hissed at the love goddess. Though she was the eldest of them, she still giggled like a child. _

_'__What? I'm just saying. I know love.' She said, clearly knowing something the others didn't, and with a growl the gods turned back to the screen._

* * *

><p>That day sucked as much as any of the others. Nico couldn't get Jason out of his mind, or Percy. It made construction of the Pluto cabin… Fretful.<p>

Nico had ordered the zombies (which a little late he realised must've been dead Romans, awkward) to clear the space where the foundations of the Pluto cabin were still present. It tweaked at Nico's sentimentality to see the ruined place get torn down, reminded of the times he and Hazel would talk up there. _Well, it had to be rebuilt eventually, right? May as well make it better this time. At least, that's the Roman mentality. _Still, there was the Greek voice in his head saying that the old cabin was just fine.

'Talking to yourself again, Nico?' The cheery voice of Rachael Dare greeted Nico's ears. He turned around to face her, and she gave him a quizzical look. 'Or is there a ghost here? Are you talking to Caesar, or something? Can I see him?' She started waving her arms about in front of her, like a blind person trying to not walk into anything.

'No, Rachael, just myself.' Nico chuckled. Rachael laughed as well, and taking another step forward wrapped her extended her arms around the son of Hades.

'Hey!' She said, once they parted, 'I didn't get a proper answer about you and Perc—'

'And I didn't get to hear why you were at Caldecott Tunnel!' Nico retorted, clearly trying to indicate he didn't want to talk about how he and Percy met. Rachael fixed him a look, but didn't counter him. They sat down on the dusty ground, much like the day before.

'So?'

'So, there's not much to tell. I'm at school, cracking up from the jokes Malcolm was making about our costumes. Oh! There was this one, and he sa—'

'Rachael.'

'Right. I'm just doing my business, and suddenly everything goes grey and kind of dim, and there's this voice in my head telling to get to that tunnel, because I'll be needed.'

'Was it like a prophecy?'

'Well, nobody reported green smoke, but it was a bit like…'

Nico waited expectantly as Rachael stopped talking and her eyes became vacant. They fixed on Nico for a moment before turning bright green and green mist filled the air. Nico was about to comment on what a great reenactment it was, but then he realised Rachael was _actually delivering a prophecy._

_'__It's happening, it's happening!' Athena squealed, repeatedly hitting her half brother's shoulder. _

_'__I know, I know!' Apollo replied. _

_'__I didn't think you were one to really get excited over this stuff, 'Thena.' Poseidon noted, standing idly at the back of the "entertainment room". The goddess of battle strategies quickly straightened her armour and flipped her hair over one shoulder. _

_'__I… Don't… It's just… People gaining knowledge makes me happy.'_

_The olympians gave doubtful mmhmm's and let Athena lean in closer to the screen._

_Gods, these things creep me out,_ Nico thought to himself as he leaner forward to steady Rachael's shoulders. More green smoke left Rachael's mouth, and with it the words:

_'__To revive the light in the hero's blackened soul_

_One must return the happiness one stole_

_And to fight the woes of a lost death_

_A hero will fight to his last breath_

_At the turning of the heart from soulmate to stranger,_

_To forgo the caution is to forgo the danger.'_

After a tense moment, Rachael coughed and shook her head, letting Nico steady her as she regained her bearings.

'Shoot,' She croaked, 'did it happen again?' Nico nodded mutely. _Blackened soul? Lost death, last breath?! What the Hades, I'm so sick of this shit, I thought we were done. _

As soon as Rachael could stand on her own, Nico was off to the centre of New Rome, ignoring Octavian's yelling behind him of how much work he had yet to do, chanting the lines of the foreboding prophecy over and over in his head.

~ O ~

Nico was tempted to just shadow travel to Reyna's office after he'd walked all the way to the aqueducts only to be told that a praetor had called Percy to the praetor's quarters, but he knew the time to walk would help him gather his thoughts. By now the demigod had committed the prophecy to memory, and was able to analyse the lines. Now matter what happened next, a _blackened soul_ had to refer to him, didn't it? Returning happiness is probably Percy helping him through whatever is to happen, Nico was sure of that, too. The next two lines were fairly straightforward, but the last two were what troubled Nico the most. The changing of hearts is exactly what he was dreading right now. Shaking himself from his musings, Nico turned the corner to the entrance to Reyna's office. The door open made Nico's gut twist, but the familiar voices inside made his stomach drop.

'I'm just saying, though some of the Romans can't really show it, we're all really appreciative of how much you're helping us.' Jason's voice echoed from inside Reyna's office.

'Thanks Jason, that means a lot… Um, I was planning to go check on Nico, now… Or just go back to work, or something.' Even from there, Nico could tell Percy was feeling cornered.

'Wait, I was… Thinking, maybe we could, um, talk about the construction going on, and about what'll happen when the aqueduct is done? Maybe, over dinner at Cassandra's?' Nico cringed at the name of the restaurant where he and Percy had celebrated their one-month anniversary.

'When the _Primus_ is done, Nico and I are going back to Long Island, and if it isn't finished by the time our week is up, it'll have to be finished the slow way. Now if you'll excuse me, _praetor,_ I'm needed elsewhere.' Percy's tone was clearly a warning, and before Jason could protest, Percy was gone. Nico braced himself for his boyfriend to round the corner and see him there, and demand what he heard, but it seemed the Fates were on Nico's side; Percy walked out of Reyna's office and headed in the other direction down the hall, too busy brushing a hand through his hair nervously to even notice Nico. With a surge of confidence and no small amount of jealous rage, Nico stormed into Reyna's office to see Jason still standing when Percy had left him, a dejected expression on his face that the son of Poseidon had obviously missed.

'What was that?' Nico demanded, storming up to the praetor. Shock crossed Jason's features, but before a single word could leave his mouth, Nico had drawn a blade to his throat, his hand trembling dangerously. 'Did you just ask Percy to dinner?!'

'Nico, I swear—'

'Do you have any idea what he means to me? Did you even think about what would happen to me if you took him?!'

'Please, Nico, I'm s—'

'I don't care if you're sorry or not, I want to know why you're suddenly out to get me, I thought we were friends!'

'We are friends, Nico, and that's why should think of what happened when our roles were reversed.' Nico's pulse was roaring in his head, and he quickly thought of whenever Jason had a knife to his throat.

'When our roles were reversed, Nico, and you begged me not to tell Percy because you wanted to tell him. I'm just trying to do the same thing now but not put you through the pressure of having to keep a secret like that.'

'Are… Are you saying that you're crushing on Percy?' Jason's eyes darted to Nico's blade, but it wasn't moving.

'… I… I think so.'

Despite what Jason probably thought would happen, Nico's knife fell away from his throat with a dry sob from the smaller boy. Surprise and relief were the first things through Jason's mind, but then concern. He wasn't lying when he said that he still considered him and Nico friends.

'Nico, I know this is…' Jason's words just echoed back to him, as Nico was suddenly gone.

* * *

><p><em>In perfect silence, all of the Olympians turned to look at Zeus, who gave them a defiant stare in return. <em>

_'__Don't look at me!' He said, pointing to Poseidon, 'this whole thing is his son's fault!'_

_'__Percy can't help it if he's adorable!' Squealed Aphrodite in protest, but the god of the seas raised a hand to silence them._

_'__Thank you for defending my son's honour, Aphrodite, but Zeus is speaking of Anteros, another of my sons.' _

_The love goddess's smile grew at the mention of her very close business associate, the minor god of male-male love, and Poseidon threw his brother a victorious smirk._

_'__Okay, I think something's happening.' The gods returned to their best entertainment in centuries._

* * *

><p>With Jason's words ringing in his ears, Nico didn't even mean to shadow travel, but he was grateful for the escape. Falling onto the carpet of the flat he and Percy shared, Nico felt like a trespasser. <em>Of course you weren't going to be able to hang on to him, Nico, he's freaking Percy Jackson! <em>Turbulent thoughts raced through Nico's mind and it took a minute for him to notice the tears rolling down his cheeks. _What was I thinking? Percy may think he loves me now, but in the end, he's going to see how much he's missing out on. _Nico curled up into a ball on his side and hugged his knees. _Children of Hades shouldn't be around others. It just doesn't end well._

A few more minutes passed.

'What was I thinking?' Nico whispered to himself again. More time passed, and before Nico knew what he was doing, he was in the bathroom, staring at himself in the mirror, with a disposable razor in his hand. Percy was going to leave him, Nico was sure of it. Where would he go after that? He wasn't really welcome at Camp Half-Blood unless he was bringing Percy with him, and he sure as Hades couldn't stay at Camp Jupiter. Percy was going to become a Roman. He was going to say he loves Jason and go off and have lots of nice hero demigod sex, much better than anything Percy could have with Nico. Nico would be an outcast again, but it's not like he was ever not an outcast to begin with.

All of these emotions left Nico so overwhelmed he was left with nothing. A familiar cold, empty feeling began to settle into its old place in Nico's soul. With a shiver and a few guilty thoughts toward Percy, Nico set about finding a sharp object. Breaking apart one of the razors wouldn't go unnoticed, but Nico couldn't bring himself to touch his knife after it'd touched Jason. So he grabbed his sword from his belt which lay idle in a pair of jeans, and shivered again as its cool surface touched the skin of his left arm.

~ O ~

Percy walked happily back to his and Nico's flat, and he had a pretty good feeling. Well, mostly. The tiny but persistent sense of foreboding could probably be blamed on Jason's uncharacteristic clinginess earlier that day. Still, going through the door and seeing Nico curled up on the couch wearing an oversized long-sleeved wooly jumper made his spirits soar. Percy still had a bit of an off feeling, but he wouldn't let it rub off on his gorgeous boyfriend.

'Hey,' He grinned, not hesitating to plant himself next to Nico and wrap a tanned arm around his shoulders.

'Hi,' Nico said in a quiet voice, bringing his arms in closer to him, but only so he could press the rest of his body against Percy. They sat there for a minute or two, just enjoying the peace, before Percy wrapped his other arm around Nico and pulled the Italian onto his lap. Nico giggled nervously as Percy started to nuzzle into his neck, and though he didn't exactly push Percy away, he didn't reciprocate.

'Is something wrong?' Percy asked, pulling away.

'No! No, Perce.'

'Just not feeling it?'

'I'm feeling it, I'm just…'

'It's all right, you don't have to do anything, I'll take care of us.' And with that, Percy swept Nico up in his arms and carried the flustered Italian to the bedroom. Gently placing him on the bed, Percy climbed above Nico and began to ravish him. Soon enough, both boys were definitely _feeling it_, but Nico grabbed Percy's wrist when he moved to lift up Nico's jumper.

'Can I keep it on? I'm kind of cold.' Percy straightened up.

'Do you think you're getting sick?' Nico hid his guilty expression. Gods, it felt terrible to lie.

'No, I'm just… Cold.' Percy nodded and simply worked his way south of Nico's jumper. Soon, he had reduced Nico to a trembling mess, and nothing really explicit had occurred between them yet. In a moment of passion, Percy pushed his warm hands up Nico's sweater, feeling his sides. Suddenly, Nico jumped back with a yelp of alarm, and Percy quickly backed up as well.

'What, what's wrong?'

Nico couldn't really answer straightaway.

'… I, uh…' He couldn't meet Percy's gaze, but Percy saw the tears welling in his boyfriend's eyes.

'I… Um…'

'Nico?'

'I was… Just—'

'Did you cut?'

A horrible silence filled the cabin as Nico's silence and tears rolling down his cheeks were all Percy needed to know. Turning away from his boyfriend, Percy let tears of his own fall.

'Why?' The disappointment in Percy's voice made it hard for Nico to speak.

'I had to,' He whispered.

'No, Nico! No you didn't!' As Percy yelled that, he turned to look at Nico. As his words faded, Percy saw Nico was trembling. He was looking into his lap, tears falling onto his knees.

_Gods, what do I do now? _Percy thought as Nico was wondering the exact same thing.

'I'm … Gonna stay tonight at Jason's. Be careful Nico.' He gathered a few clothes and kissed the top of Nico's head. 'I love you.'

It was a few minutes after Percy left that Nico fully realised what Percy had said. If it had been anyone else's cabin, he would've raced out into the night after Percy and screamed that he was so sorry and promised to try harder to be worth Percy's love, but all of the strength drained from him when Percy said Jason's name and Nico felt more tired and empty than ever. Falling back onto the bed, he stared at the ceiling and waited for sleep to come. It didn't take long.

~ O ~

* * *

><p>Walking to Temple Hill the next morning, Nico felt as dull as the fog that swept through the valley. Percy's words and disappointed tone kept echoing in his ears, and Nico knew his day couldn't get any worse.<p>

Then again, Nico should've known by then to stop making assumptions like that.

Walking down one of the boulevards through New Rome (he was taking the long way to Temple Hill, through the main city, in hopes of catching a glimpse of Percy) when a familiar gait reached Nico's ears.

'Nico!' Jason called, then quickly straightened himself as nearby eyebrows raised in response to the praetor's undignified behaviour. With a scowl, Nico fastened his pace, but Jason caught up quickly.

'Nico, please. I—' Tossing off the hand Jason _dared_ to lay on Nico's shoulder, the son of Hades spun to face the Roman.

'No, Jason! Don't you _dare_ think you can say anything that will fix this! I don't care if you can't help your feeling towards Percy, if he was single and I didn't like him, I'd be fine with it! But he's taken, by me! Now, if you tried, he'd probably choose you, but just know there's_ no chance in Hades_ that I will just lie down and let you walk over me to take him!'

Nico paused for breath, and finally noticed how pale Jason had become. The street was deathly quiet, and looking down Nico saw black smoke pouring out of cracks in the pavement that had appeared under his feet.

Nico couldn't help but feel horrified, and saw Jason knew how close he'd come to receiving the bad end of a son of Hades's wrath. Since Jason was still practically frozen in his spot, Nico bolted. He turned, ran, and didn't stop running and making random turns until he was sufficiently lost. Ducking into a nearby alleyway and ignoring the looks passing Lares gave him, Nico did something he hadn't for a while.

'Dad, I know you don't hear from me often, because I know you don't like to, but I could really use some guidance right now…' The teen whispered quietly aloud. _You're ancient, right? _He added silently. _That means you know a thing or two about love?_

_Then again, _Nico reminded himself, _he kind of had to kidnap his wife…_ On second thoughts, maybe his father wasn't the best person he could think of to talk to about this. Not for the first time, Nico cursed himself and his life for not giving him a normal father, one he could talk to about boys and his feelings.

With a sigh, Nico leaned back against the cool stucco wall, breathing in the darkness. He usually felt the most calm in the shadows — or Percy's arms — but this time only more dread settled in his stomach. Nico couldn't sense Jason approaching, and he wasn't being teased by Lares. What was wrong with him?!

But, maybe, just maybe, it wasn't him. Maybe—

'Well' A quiet voice hissed, _'that_ took you long enough.'

— it was an external force.

'Mania,' Nico whispered on fear, backing closer to the wall and the shadows out of habit.

'Calm, child. I can do you no harm, here.' Nico's eyes searched frantically around him for something he knew he wouldn't find. The mania would only reveal itself if it wanted to. 'Close, but not exact. You see, I am not strong enough to manifest a physical form. I cannot even penetrate your dreams.' Nico thought he heard a note of vexation in the madness spirit's tone, but he couldn't be sure. Still, the knowledge felt good, except—

'How do I know you're not lying?' There was a gravelly chuckle.

'You already know, child. You know my nature better than most.' It was true. Mania's weren't exactly fabled as tricksters or simply evil, they reflect a worry or flaw in someone's psyche back to them. They could show you exactly what you want to see, or something you've always dreaded.

'Why are you here?'

'Didn't you just answer that question for yourself? To wreak some havoc?' Nico felt the presence move further above him, floating toward the top of the buildings. Nico's voice wavered with dread.

'Why me?'

'Child, who said anything about you?' And like that, the spirit was gone. Backing into the shadows once again, Nico tried to reach out for his father, but all he got was a headache and more nausea. _Strange,_ he thought, _the Underworld must be especially congested if he's shutting me out so hard._

A wave of coldness and chills washed over Nico. With a strangled gasp, he immediately backed into the shadows and reappeared at the construction works at the newest parts of the aqueduct. Running out form the alley he appeared in, Nico strained to see Percy.

There he was, working gloriously and efficiently in the sunlight. With a sigh of relief, Nico couldn't feel the mania near. _I'll still have to keep an eye on him,_ Nico told himself, _on everyone._

* * *

><p><strong>**Ahh! What do you guys think?! I'm sorry, but who else <strong>**_loves_**** maniae?! *raises hand* Just me? … Okay.**

**_Primus _****is latin-ish for "first", but in this case, the "most important" aqueduct. AKA, the one Percy's working on. **

**Puuuleeeasee let me know what you think, I've been working on this chapter really hard since I got a sudden boost of inspiration for this story. Also, fans of ****Nico, Interrupted****, be aware it may take me some time to get back into the flow of things to write another chapter. I promise you that one is in progress, but it's all a pretty touchy subject for me, and I can't do it in loads like YCLTD. Still, I hope you guys enjoyed this one :3**

**Sushi for all (Except vegetarians, you get… Rice. Flamers get wasabi!)**

**— ****TJ out****


	5. Forgiveness Practice

****(Sooo this was meant to be up five weeks ago, but I went to Europe and didn't have time) Hey y'all, I'm so sorry for not updating for ages, I had to move out of my mum's and then I went to Qld, then Europe, so things have been crazy in amongst exams. How did my readers go on those, if you're still doing school-y stuff? To make us all feel better, there's some sex in this chap, kind of explicit :3**

**Trigger Warnings: minor violence, swearing, feels. Oh, and sex =D**

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><p><em>Friday ~ Afternoon<em>

Rachael could finally see that all of the things said about Camp Jupiter were true. The rolling hills, beautiful temples, ageless buildings (though some of them were still in disrepair) and she knew the main aqueduct would be amazing as soon as it was finished. She had a good vantage point from Temple Hill, which was one of the highest points in the valley. The fog that had blanketed the valley that morning had been swept away by the pristine breezes. Smiling to herself, she walked through the various construction works going on. The minor deities were the first dozen cabins, but most were still too broken to really identify. Then, she recognised the only_ slightly _more extravagant temples dedicated to the Olympians. For some reason, Rachael felt the urge to go into the Apollo cabin, which was almost as large as any of the Big Three's temples.

The doorway was made of alabaster, and the floors were red marble. White curtains hung above each of the many windows, the delicate fabric swaying in time with the light breeze that was constantly sweeping back and forth over the valley of New Rome. Inside, the smell of incense, Rachael could tell, was seemingly as permanent as the breeze outside. Inhaling the sickly sweetness, it couldn't have made Rachael's inner Oracle happier.

Of course, out of all the temples, the Apollo temple was the first to be completely rebuilt, and a few of the minor priests were fast at work. Two of them, still young teens, were praying and lighting candles and more incense at the altar, and Rachael was fascinated watching them work. Another entered just behind Rachael, arms laden with oranges. They exchanged small smiles and Rachael watched as the newest comer tossed the oranges, one by one, into the large bronze dish behind the altar which had a fire in it. The light cast by the dish filled the whole temple, giving anyone in it the feeling of being closer to heavenly light the more they neared the altar.

The other two stood up, holding small clay pots of incense and the fruit-tosser joined them in silently praying as acrid smoke rose and filtered out of a hole in the ceiling.

Rachael couldn't help it. She cleared her throat.

Yet, like good priests, the three teens didn't respond. Rachael stepped forward and tapped one on the shoulder.

'Hey, um, excuse me, but I think you're meant to throw the incense in _with_ the offering.'

The teen gave Rachael a look of bewilderment as the other two peeked from behind closed eyes to see what was going on.

'Uh, I don't think so.'

'… Why don't you give it a go? If you want, I won't tell Octavian. It's smells really good, so the gods love it, trust me.' She tried again, this time with a small smile.

The young priest looked to the others, and with a small nod, the incense was tossed in onto the smouldering oranges.

Almost immediately, the smoke became pale pink in colour, and smelled strongly of sweet fruit and the gentle herbs in the incense.

Rachael gave another smile as the other incense-holder exclaimed how good it smelled.

'How'd you know?' The first one asked. Rachael shrugged, biting back a cheeky grin.

'Oh, I just… Have a knack for what the gods want us to know.'

She smiled at them again, and went to leave, happy with what had transpired.

'_You!_ Witch!' A high-pitched and very much irked voice echoed into the hall from the doorway. 'What are you doing, sabotaging the Roman offerings? Trying to turn our own patrons against us?' Octavian spat at Rachael, who was busy fixing him an irritated stare. After admonishing the trainees (who Rachael wanted badly to stand up for), Octavian approached the bronze dish.

'What are you doing?' Rachael asked, frowning. Octavian looked up, his dark eyes glinted with hate.

'Not that it's any of your business, our official proceedings, but I'm going to cleanse my temple of what you've contaminated it with, since these _idiots_ couldn't take a bit of initiative.' Octavian spat out, making the trainees flinch and Rachael bristle with ire. Even more worryingly, it looked like Octavian was going to put out the fire, supposedly to clean the dish.

Shooting a worried glance at the three young priests, Rachael saw they'd approached the same conclusion and were equally distressed. The fire was never meant to go out; as a symbol of power, but also that the Apollo priests and temple would forever be open and welcoming.

_Of course the fire would go out under Octavian's watch,_ Rachael thought. He was anything but welcoming.

Knowing she shouldn't butt-in any more, Rachael shot a _Do Something! _look to the young teen she'd convinced to throw the incense. He gave her a hopeless look in return and looked to his sandal-clad feet. Luckily, the orange-tosser stepped forward at Rachael's nod.

'Um, sir_, _we were told the fire was never meant to be put out, remember?'

Octavian paused from pulling blackened sticks away from the main pile, causing charred oranges to roll to the outside of the dish. He pulled his robes out of the way to swing a furious glance at the young girl.

'What _fool_ told you that?!'

'… You did, sir.'

After growling again, Octavian sneered at Rachael.

'This time we can make an exception. My temple must be clean, and purifi—'

'Look, kid, it's not _your_ temple, it's a temple dedicated to a _god._' Rachael stepped forward, matching Octavian's stare with her own powerful gaze, 'I happen to be a speaker for the gods, just like you, except my power is thousands of years old. When did you get your pathetic, I mean, _prophetic—_' Rachael was glad to hear the trainees choke back giggles, '—powers? When you realised you weren't any more special than the other demigods? Rack off, Octavian. This is how formal offerings have always been made.'

Rachael didn't realise just how vindictive her feelings toward the young augur were, obviously brought on by his abuse of his roles and wards, but she'd voiced them, and felt her stare didn't waver.

Octavian, on the other hand, was positively shaking with rage.

'How _dare_ you?! You Greek _bitch!_' He cried.

Rachael narrowed her eyes threateningly in response, hearing one of the priests whisper "It's her, I told you so!" to another. Outside, the wind was picking up, throwing the delicate curtains around like seaweed in the ocean. Far off, thunder cracked, and Rachael shivered as the temple was suddenly darker for a moment.

Just like that first day, before she knew it, a flash of gold flickered before her eyes and Rachael was suddenly at knifepoint.

Though, Octavian was, too. Just like that first day, Nico di Angelo was suddenly by Rachael's side, the point of his Stygian blade level with Octavian's bobbing Adam's apple.

'Down. Now.' He commanded. As Octavian's Imperial Gold dagger lowered, Nico pushed his sword forward until the blond had to take a step back.

Nico had felt looming Death sweeping over the camp, and though he didn't want to leave his spot watching (more like guarding) Percy, he remembered Rachael was still hanging around Temple Hill, and that Octavian wanted to kill her.

Now, though, Nico was incredibly tempted to shove Octavian just a _little_ bit more, so that he'd trip into that huge blazing dish that was before him. It was even tilted slightly in Octavian's direction, as if enticing Nico to push, and Octavian to fall.

Still, Nico had sworn off doing his "uncle's" work if the collected wasn't a monster. Thanatos would not collect today.

Plus, Nico's arm was starting to ache. It was a mistake slicing his sword-arm last night. He grimaced not only at the ache of a scabbed scut tearing, but the memory of the night before. Percy's tone as he said Jason's name. That last kiss Nico got before Percy left.

Before Percy left.

Percy left.

'Nico? Hey, are you all right?' Rachael. Talking. To him. Apollo temple.

Right.

'Yeah, yeah. I'm… I'm okay.' Nico's sword-holding arm had fallen to his side, and he suddenly felt shaky on his legs. Looking down, Nico saw that feeling of warm liquid on his wrist was a small stream of blood flowing onto his sword's hilt, and dripping on the ground. Nico may've softly said "Oh." as he tried to straighten up, using his sword as an aide, but it slipped and Nico fell to his knees before Rachael could support him.

Hugging his injured arm to his chest, Nico expected to be consoled by Rachael, but instead he was kicked in the ribs, so hard he was tossed onto his back, his head clacking on the marble floor.

Coughing and gasping for air, Nico saw out of the corner of his eye Rachael picking herself up off the floor from where she'd been thrown by Octavian, who was standing over Nico, dagger in his hand and glinting much like his dark eyes.

As dramatically timed as it was, lightning flashed through a window behind the blond, silhouetting his outline for a second, leaving only his beady eyes to shine in the darkening hall.

Octavian's hand holding the knife twitched, and in the augur's hesitation, Nico reached out hand down for the knife hidden in his belt. When he finally twisted it out of the black leather, Octavian didn't hesitate to kick it from his grasp, sending it skidding over near to where Rachael was crouched in shock. If only she had her hairbrush.

'Kni—… Rach!' Nico croaked, looking frantically at his knife. His groggy brain was only focussed on defending himself, but not registering the fact that Octavian wasn't actually brutally murdering him, even though he'd had quite a few seconds to do just that.

Octavian was only looking at Nico, or more specifically, where he was bleeding from his sleeve, but he still had a knife in his hand. That was enough for Nico to grasp again for his sword as Rachael scrambled over to his knife.

With a cry of "Get away from him!" a body hit Octavian, taking him to the ground.

~ O ~

_It's raining men in here,_ Rachael thought as she scrambled over to where Percy had tackled Octavian. Outside rain was bucketing down, covering up most of Octavian's swearing and threats as Rachael sat on his chest and pressed Nico's sleek knife to his neck, making sure he didn't move.

Percy got up in a second and scrambled over to where Nico had managed to sit up and was trying to focus on Percy.

'Nico! Nico, are you all right?!' Percy cried as he skidded to a stop by his boyfriend's side. He tried to roll up Nico sleeves but with his shaking hands couldn't manage it, and just wrapped Nico up in his embrace, breathing easily for the first time that day.

'Per—… Perce…'

'I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, Nico. I shouldn't have left you, I just thought you wanted time and to be alone to think it through but I just freaked and—'

'Percy,'

'You're bleeding, oh gods, why are you bleeding? Did that asshole hurt you, I swear—'

'Percy, please,'

Percy just shut up and hugged Nico tighter. Nico's delirious mumblings that he was fine were drowned out by not only the rain but Percy's apologies to never leave him when he needed him again.

'Percy,' Nico tried again, and felt his eyes prickle when Percy leaned back to face him and had tears streaming down his cheeks.

'Yeah?'

'… Can… Just— take us home?' Nico asked quietly, letting his head fall into the alcove of Percy's neck. Shooting a glance at Rachael, and hearing her "I got this," Percy gathered his lethargic boyfriend up in his arms and hastily left the temple.

The rain was coming down steadily now, past the initial pour, but still heavy, and Percy and Nico were dripping by the time Percy manoeuvred his way down the stone steps that led from Temple Hill to the centre of New Rome. Percy wished the barracks were closer to Temple Hill as he crossed the bridge over the Little Tiber. He felt the magical pull of the waters as he reached the other side, pulsing as fat raindrops hit the surface, making the river jump with energy more than normal. Percy considered trying to heal Nico by, well, dunking him, but figured getting wetter and colder wouldn't be great.

Percy was too worried thinking about how weak and pale Nico looked, and how cold he was to remember he could've kept them dry the whole time.

Finally, when he kicked open the door of their cabin, laying Nico down the couch, he swore uncharacteristically strongly, and concentrated on making them dry.

'Nico? Hey, babe, you can wake up now,' Percy tried, holding Nico's gelid cheeks in his warm hands. Nico's eyelids fluttered, but opened gingerly eventually, letting Percy stare intently into the most beautiful chocolate eyes he'd ever seen, however unfocussed they were at the moment.

'Hey,' Nico croaked. Percy managed a shaky smile.

'Hey. I'm gonna fix you up, okay?' Nico didn't respond but Percy didn't hesitate to push up the sleeves of his jacket. He swore again, then stood to fetch the medical supplies kept in the bathroom.

Halfway there, he stopped and knelt by Nico again, gingerly touching the torn skin of his boyfriend's arm.

'Do you… Want me to, uh…?'

Nico managed to roll his head in Percy's direction to read his lips as he spoke, and then nodded a tiny bit. Percy disappeared and returned with a bowl of water and a washcloth. Gently he wet the cloth and laid it over Nico's forearm and concentrated.

Soon all of the cuts on Nico's arms had disappeared, and when Percy came back from throwing out the pink water, he saw Nico sitting up, nibbling on an ambrosia square.

Silent, Percy dropped down next to him, taking a bite of the ambrosia when Nico waved it in his direction.

For a few minutes the two of them sat in more silence, the steady _pitter-patter_ of the rain on the roof soothing them both.

'So what happened?' Percy eventually said, speaking softly so as to not disrupt their calm atmosphere too much. Nico took a deep breath.

'That… _Figlio di una cagna _attacked Rachael, so I tried to take him down, but… I fell. I was bleeding. I guess it was too much.' With a sigh, Nico leaned back on the couch and consequently into Percy's arms, as he'd shifted closer to Nico as he spoke. Percy waited another minute before speaking again.

'What about earlier? Not last night, but this morning. I heard some… Some stuff happened on Plebeian Lane.'

Nico scoffed, but it was without humour.

'I, uh. I ran into those Lares again. Kinda made me mad, but I just ran for it.' He muttered, while brushing ambrosia crumbs off of his jeans. Percy gave a sympathetic sigh and wrapped his free arm around Nico's shoulders, burying his face in the Italian's curls, breathing in the intoxicating scent.

'Anything else?' Nico hesitated. 'Nico?'

'Yeah, yeah… There's…' Regretfully, Nico glanced at Percy's baby-seal eyes, and knew that Percy would be better off knowing. He'd spent most of the day thinking about the mania, and what its intentions would be, and Percy wasn't _totally _oblivious when it came to hacking and slashing, so Nico figured he should know.

'I… I have a mania. Ran into it this morning…' Nico watched Percy's face turn from concern to alarmed concern.

'What, here?'

'Well not _here,_ but around, yeah. I think it's what's been making me feel so ill, lately.' Percy nodded, still obviously sifting through the information he knew of maniae, his brow furrowed in concentration.

'Hey,' Nico said gently, rousing Percy as he touched his boyfriend's cheek. 'It's not around, I feel much better… Tomorrow, I promise I'll talk with Rachael about what she can do about it. I'll consult Reyna and even my dad, okay? I don't want you to worry about it.'

Percy nodded, but his frown remained.

'What do you think it is? Like, what's it embodying?'

Nico just shook his head to say he didn't want to talk about it, and leaned in to pull Percy in for a kiss. It took a bit of nipping and shifting, but soon Percy was kissing Nico back with fervour, and Nico could tell it was fuelled by what had happened that day—

Reminding himself if Percy wasn't allowed to think about it, then he couldn't, he threw himself into everything that was Percy, and how everything about Percy was amazing.

After he'd pulled Percy's shirt off, Nico set about kissing every inch of skin on Percy's chest, nibbling Percy's nipples and running his hands over the bronzed skin. Percy groaned and lay back on the couch, tangling his fingers in Nico's hair as the smaller teen continued his exploration. Next to go was Percy's jeans, after Nico's own shirt and jeans, of course. While sucking on one of Percy's nipples, Nico reached down to stroke Percy's cock through his boxers. Percy groaned and tried to thrust into Nico's hand, but, making Percy shoot him seal-eyes again, Nico's hand left Percy's throbbing erection.

Nico took hold of Percy's hand and pausing, looked up at Percy's flushed face.

'Help me,' Nico murmured, before beginning to suck gently on Percy's fingers, making sure they got sufficiently wet.

Percy got the hint and reached with his other hand to pull Nico's underwear down. Exchanging sultry looks, Percy moved his lubricated fingers to Nico's entrance, and began rubbing around while Nico moaned around the fingers Percy had now moved to his mouth. Percy dipped a finger in, then out, and in again, until Nico was obviously wanting him to really begin, so he took his other hand out of Nico's mouth and began easing open Nico's rear entrance. Nico breathed with the motions, and leaned forward to lay his head against Percy's chest, feeling Percy's racing heartbeat strong against his cheekbone.

That sound was Nico whole world for a few minutes, until Percy mumbled something vaguely English, and Nico felt he was ready enough. Nico leaned up to give Percy a quick kiss before rolling his hips back, pushing down onto Percy's turgid cock, relishing the feeling of being filled by something so hard and hot. Moaning quietly into Percy's chest, his breaths timed with Percy's strained pants as he took in more of Percy.

Eventually Nico had all of Percy in him, and he began rolling his hips tantalisingly slowly back and forth, loving the strangled noises Percy made.  
>Really only after a few minutes, Nico felt to need to come to, and rode Percy faster until they came at the same time, both with choked cries.<p>

Breathing heavy, Nico and Percy looked at each other again. Nico opened his mouth to say something, but Percy beat him to it.

'I'll never leave you alone again.' He said, a small smile twitching his lips. Nico leaned in for a chaste kiss, relishing the feeling of home, and love, and Percy.

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><p><strong>Figured it was time for a review shout-out :P<strong>

**dancerchik****— you are not alone in the adoration of Rachael! I just hope I write her well, and she ends up ok :S**

**datbookworrm****— I PROMISE this story will have an ending, and it will be glorious! :D But dark, just a heads up.**

**FreakyMuthee****— Oh yeah, some *stuff* is coming ;)**

**Aaaaand ****TheTwinlessTwin****— Nice/sad user, btw :P Thank you for your compliments! The next chapter is up in, well, now, since I'm writing these just as I published it, but I'm be working on these a lot more over the holidays :D**

**To ****FloKip****, **** .Hale****, ****Allen Walker Yuu****, guest ****heehee****, and loyal ****Solangelo Love XOXO**** (why are you reading a Percico? :P), and guest ****someone**** (you solely got this chapter published, well done ;3)**

**Reviews are amazing to read, you guys, thank you :)**


	6. Bring On The Hate-Mail

****scream* I have been waiting forever to write this chapter; in fact, what goes on in this chap was the first scene I thought of for this fic, and the first piece of it I wrote :3 Of course, I've deleted it and rewritten it four or five times, but this time 'round was just as enjoyable :) Thanks for sticking with me, guys. **

**(heads up, another reminder this story will get VERY dark coming up (like, really, _really,_ bad, guys), but for now, this chapter has mild violence, and maybe some swearing. Oh, also angst (duh!))****

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><p>Nico awoke to the warm and fuzzy feeling of post-sex hugging. He grinned to himself, still half asleep, and Percy wriggled his arms tighter around Nico's waist.<p>

Nico loved being little spoon.

An indeterminable amount of time later, the sound of centurions doing morning marches told Nico and Percy it was time to wake up. Once Percy heard the marches, he set about carefully disentangling himself from his boyfriend who seemed adamant to hold onto him. Nico groaned and whinged, all in the spirit of play, but was secretly wishing Percy's Roman training hadn't affected the mornings. Still, Percy kissed him and left, and Nico listened as the Romans greeted their former praetor belatedly. That made Nico smile. It was nice to know that he was so closely associated with someone who could pretty much do no wrong. Hades, Percy went gay and it was suddenly fashionable! Nico just hoped some of Percy's attitude (mojo, je ne sais quoi, whatever you want to call it) could rub off on him, and not the other way around.

With a possibly over-dramatic sigh, Nico huffed and got out of bed, shrugged on his clothes, and left for Temple Hill.

As he walked, his fingers idly brushed over his wrists. Nico still hadn't decided. _Couldn't_ decide. Gods, the feeling of cutting was such an endorphin rush, but he felt like shit afterwards, especially when (not "if") Percy would see. Having Percy heal him felt great, because it told Nico Percy cared for him, but there was still a not-so-quiet voice in his head that told him Percy was obligated to do it, and that it wasn't anything special to him like it was to Nico.

Telling himself he was thinking too much, Nico tried to concentrate on the day ahead. It was another beautiful day in New Rome, the breeze picking up bits of pollen and fallen straw-like leaves from the fields adorning the hills, though it looked like rain was coming in later, by the dark clouds around the valley. Nico trudged along the path, grateful that he'd left while the centurions weren't marching, and thought about yesterday. Strangely enough, he couldn't help but smile a little. The way Percy appeared out of nowhere, jumping to Nico's defence.

Dam, he loved that boy.

Also, the mania hadn't shown up in a bit, that was good too (this time Nico was able to ignore the cynical little voice in his head that told him silence might not be as good as he thought).

Nico didn't know what was making him so happy today. Probably a little after-effect of Percy's healing. Or maybe because he hadn't suffered a bout of vertigo lately, that was a plus, too.

Nico made it to Temple Hill, and being slightly earlier than yesterday, deigned to wave back to the few demigods who threw him a greeting.

He made it to the torn-down ruins and puffed out a sigh. He definitely had his work cut out for him, but he decided to take it as an opportunity to improve, even though the old Pluto cabin was pretty great.

_Though that was probably because of the nice times I spent with Hazel there… I can make good memories in this one too,_ Nico decided as he began thinking of ideas, and the heaps of bones around the site began to reanimate, pulling usable materials together as they did.

Eventually Nico decided to deviate from the original design a bit. The main doors would open into a foyer as big as the land area would allow it to be, then the wall furthest from the door would have openings at both ends, and behind those walls were the actual camper's (or in the Romans' case, soldier's) sleeping and relaxing areas. Basically, the foyer would be all pretty and stuff, with the offerings dish and fire, and then everything else is hidden by the back wall. Easy.

Nico sent away most of the skeletons to find some good black pumice and obsidian to form the basic structure of the walls, and started thinking about how it would be decorated. Looking around, it was obvious the themes of each temple were in the name, so Nico figured bones and jewels should do the trick in that department. Whatever, it's not like anyone ever really came there anyway.

Just as Nico was arranging the first few slabs of stone, a terrible feeling of foreboding overcame him. He realised his breath had become panicked in pace and memories of that horrible feeling of numbness when Bianca died came to mind. Nico shook them away, dismissing any thoughts about it.

Looking around, the sun was still shining and the Romans were still working, but the feeling only intensified. Nico felt in every part of his body that he needed to be somewhere else.

Shit, there was only one person that would apply to.

Nico shadow-travelled to an alley that was close to where Percy and his team were working. Rushing out, he strained to get a view.

Everything was fine, Percy was up on the main aqueduct, holding off the flow of water while the other Romans worked to mend the rest of the stone path and the pillars holding it up. Nico cringed when he saw Percy standing on a surface which an hour or so ago was probably wet cement. Still, everything looked okay, and the bad feeling started to fade.

Nico heaved a sigh of relief as the workers scrambled away from underneath the aqueduct and Percy let the now-huge wave of water loose. Nico just about screamed when he saw the ton of water hit Percy front-on, and his boyfriend made no effort to move out of its way like everyone else did.

Though of course, Percy was just fine. The water rushed past and left Percy standing exactly where he was, not even wet. Nico had to turn away to wipe at the tears that had escaped.

Percy hadn't been doing that the last time Nico spi—_watched_ him (that didn't sound any better, did it?). It must've been because of the rain, causing problems for the foundations to solidify or something.

Taking deep breaths, Nico resolved himself to trust Percy in that he knew what he was doing. Still…

'Percy!' Nico called, walking briskly toward the works. Percy looked around in confusion for a moment before seeing it was Nico on the ground calling to him. Percy waved off the workers so that he wouldn't have to hold the water back, and knelt down to see Nico.

'Yeah, babe?' He yelled, perhaps a little louder than necessary. Amused giggles filled the air, and Nico tried to hide his blush.

'Have lunch with me?' Percy grinned.

'Sure thing, just one more round and I'll get this pillar covered up for now, yeah?' Nico smiled back and nodded, stepping back a few paces to give the Romans their space.

'Alright guys, rain's coming back so lets get G and D tarped up, then we're done for today!' Percy shouted, and the Romans nodded, a few joyous whoops echoing in the chatter. Percy yelled for someone named Franny to take care of pillar Gamma, while he'd make sure pillar Delta was secured.

Percy stopped the flow of water onto the broken pillar below, and four workers swiftly climbed up the sides, two of them lugging a huge tarpaulin sheet between them. The sheet was thrown over the top with surprisingly accuracy and the four set about hooking it onto the metal rings that adorned the entire pillar in neat lines.

'Secure?' Percy called down, his voice sounding a little strained. Nico looked up to see the mass of water he was holding back was huge. Far away thunder cracked, and Nico saw the rain had begun high up on the hills, meaning some rainwater must've made it to the aqueduct already.

'Secure!' Was called twice, and two workers scrambled down the pillar.

'Not secure!' One called, while the last was silent. A few more seconds passed, and Nico started fiddling nervously by how pained Percy looked.

'Secure?' He called again, outstretched hands starting to drop.

'Secure!' The previously quiet one called, and quickly dropped to the ground.

'Not secure!' The kid called again, and Nico wished he was closer to the other side so he could see exactly what was stopping the boy.

'Troy!' Percy yelled, panic clear in his voice.

'It keeps slipping!' Troy yelled back.

Nico had just looked from Troy to Percy when the wave dropped. Nico saw Percy take a step back and hold his arms up to his face in order to protect himself somewhat, but when the water cleared and was a steady trickle again, Percy wasn't there.

'Percy!' Nico screamed, instantly shadow-travelling to where Percy used to be. 'Perce?!' His voice broke as he turned around and his vision was caught on the drenched pillar-top just below him. Nico jumped the few metres to land beside Percy, and tried to wake him up. Percy was just lying there, and Nico was panicking too much to know what to do. His pleas for Percy to wake up were silenced by a faint yet steady stream of blood coming from the back of Percy's head to mix with the water still draining from the unevenly set tarpaulin.

'Somebody help!' He screamed, hot tears dripping off his chin to land on Percy's pale face.

~ O ~

They kept telling him to rest.

They didn't understand. They were just being stupid, and if they could leave him and Percy alone, then maybe Percy would get better rather than all these idiots draining the life force around here. Of course, "around here" being New Rome's hospital, and "these idiots" being the medically trained students of Asclepius.

Still, it was Nico who was beside Percy's bed, holding his hand and constantly monitoring the state of his soul, pulling it as close to Percy's centre as it could get when it thought about straying even the tiniest bit.

'Nico.' A soft voice chimed from the doorway. Nico glanced out of the corner of his eye, and in the slight sudden glare of the sun, could've sworn he'd seen Annabeth.

'Rachael.' He said, voice cracking from misuse. Rachael slowly went and sat down on the other side of Percy's bed and looked at the two with forlorn eyes. There were a few minutes of silence as Rachael tried to think of what to say, if anything. Percy was pale, his skin waxen. His face was lacking the vibrant buzz it always had, and frankly the sight was terrifying. Nico was a sore sight too— skin pale, yet flushed and irritated from scrubbing at tears of frustration. His hands trembled as they squeezed Percy's hand, and Rachael knew her face was showing all the pity she was feeling.

'Octavian's cleaning stables for the rest of the year for that little stunt he pulled.' Rachael blurted out, internally smacking herself with a certain hairbrush. Nico looked up, sniffed and nodded tearfully. Rachael looked into her lap for a moment, and when she looked back Nico was resting his head against Percy's bed, pressing Percy's fingers into his hair, shoulders shaking still and the occasional hiccup lighting the air.

Sudden wetness on Rachael's wrist alerted her to tears of her own. She cussed quietly and wiped them away. Taking a deep shuddered breath, she saw Nico hadn't responded. She hoped he was asleep, poor kid.

Everything was still for a few minutes, and just as Rachael was beginning to relax in her seat, a sound cut through the silence. Nico's shoulders shook, and his hands grabbed Percy's, then relaxed, then tensed again, over and over, as if he was trying to squeeze some pulse, some _life_ back into his beloved. His choked sobs made Rachael jump and in that moment she felt like she was looking at twelve year-old Nico, crying because his only constant in the world had been taken from him.

Rachael heard him mumbling something, and suddenly felt like she was intruding, so she ever so quietly excused herself to grab some ambrosia.

Nico pushed Percy's chilled hand to his forehead and prayed like he never had before.

_Dad, godsdamnit, please. I need some help. I don't know what to do and I don't know if I can do anything, you're the god of death and you said you want your kids to be happy. Please dad, he makes me happy. I can't lose Percy. Please help me, tell me what to do. _

Nico received a splitting headache. His dad was shutting him out, and rather forcefully so, he realised.

Before he knew it, an ugly sob wracked through his body, and Nico was bawling. He hadn't felt so alone in such a long time, he'd grown used to being loved and always having his loved ones around him. He thought _it_ wouldn't happen again.

But it seemed the Fates just had it out for him. Percy was going to be taken from him.

Nico couldn't even visit him in Elysium.

_Please,_ Nico begged as he felt Percy's life force slipping through his fingers, _please, not again._

* * *

><p><strong>**So, what goes on in the next chapter was originally meant to be in this chapter, but I realised the word count up to here was alright, and it was a good cliff-hanger, so I'm gonna let y'all stew for a while. <strong>

**What's that? You love and adore me and my writing choices? Oh, you guys. ₍₍ (ง Ŏ౪Ŏ)ว ⁾⁾ **

**As always, love, TJ.**

**Also, let's answer some reviews:**

**rawashell987- that is so flattering, I actually took shot of your comment and sent it to my dad to brag about. Really, thank you. :***

**IcyandMidnight- I fucking hate and love you too, Midnight. Here's your update, I hope you haven't exploded in the time it took for me to post this. 3**

**alexanderchastionsalt- I'm glad you like the prequel, guywhosenameIdon'tknowhowtoshorten. I'm posting this the night before my last day of school term, and I'm not going away for the holidays, but I am meeting up with my family, so let's all hope I get some good angsty-inspiration to write faster, yeah? :)**

**Jeramy-Toombs- Dude, I am so with you on that. Honestly I was so tempted, (so, _so_ tempted) but I decided I like torturing Nico more. Sorry. Maybe in the next fic :P **

**funkdaddy2012****- Alright, you win best review, sir. Everyone else go home (kidding, I live on reviews... I'm serious. It's problem. Send help.) I'm glad you think Jason would cause some angst, with so many BigThree shippers I was ****worried**** that wouldn't be taken so nicely. Also I'm so glad there're no errors, my inner Grammar Nazi is screaming "Ich sagte Ihnen, es sich lohnen würde!****!" as I read that. No translation available at this current time. Overall your comments really made my day- Hades, my month! Long-ass reviews are the best kind, Hun :***

**Animegirl9929****- Really? Well thank you, after reading that I actually got pretty insecure and attempted learning new words to keep up the vocab-interest, but it's late and IDGARA. ("I don't give a rat's ass"). Hope the content made up for it ;) **


	7. Never Fear, I'm Here

****Heh, so… You guys didn't like that :P I wonder why…**

**Short chap, but I figured you all would want it sooner than later, so here you go :3**

**Triggers: this is the "almost-rape" chapter, sorta-graphic description of non-con and a generous helping of angst, too. Guys, feel free to skip.****

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><p>Nico had left Percy's bedside. He wanted nothing to do with him, he wanted nothing to do with Percy anymore ever again if Percy wasn't going to be there.<p>

It was just too painful.

~ O ~

Nico had become surprisingly numb. He was standing with Rachael who'd caught him walking like a zombie from the infirmary, had grabbed his arm and pushed a cup of ambrosia into his hands. Just a few sips had him buzzing with warmth on the inside.

_See?_ He told himself, and anyone who'd tell him otherwise in his head, _I feel fine. I can manage just fine. _

He didn't know what Rachael was talking about when he interrupted her.

'So how'd you know to meet us in the tunnel again?' He didn't stop even when his voice cracked. Rachael's words died in her throat, and she looked at Nico was an expression the teen refused to acknowledge was pity.

'I was… Well, I was at school then, then I sorta got a vision.' She shifted her feet and looked to people walking by for a moment. She'd dragged Nico to the side of the bricked road and the two were leaning against the side of a building, albeit awkwardly. 'I guess it was just more of a voice, telling me to get to Caldecott Tunnel ASAP because you two would need me.'

Just before Nico could comment, she spoke again.

'Well, actually just you.'

Nico frowned. 'What were the exact words?'

'… Nico, I— we should talk abou—'

'What were you told, Rachael?!' The demand came out a little harsher than Nico intended it to be, and though no one stopped to gape, a few more glances than usual were thrown his way. Nico sighed, but before he could return his focus to a now even-more worried Rachael, one specific gaze caught his eye.

Jason's blonde hair was tucked under a hood, but his eyes still shone out from under, and Nico was quick to return it, but even more heated.

Now, Nico hadn't really _planned _to kick Jason's _podex_ like there was no tomorrow, but things changed when he saw Jason was headed straight for the infirmary.

Oh, _Hades no. _

'Nico, Nico!' Rachael called out more frantically once she saw Nico's intention.

'Nico, I—' Jason paled as he saw Nico was definitely not up to talking. He paled even further as Nico came closer and waves of darkness radiated from him directly toward the _praetor. _The ground dried and cracked, and every plant in the general vicinity of the son of Hades instantly wilted.

'Nico!' Rachael tried again, her voice filled with panic, but it was all part of the dull roar in Nico's ears by then.

_I'm fine. _

_I don't need Percy. I don't want Percy. _

_I'm fine. _

_Jason can't have Percy. _

_I'm fine. _

_Percy's mine. I don't want Percy. _

_I'm fine. _

These were the thoughts that circulated through Nico's mind as he saw Jason's face harden with the realisation that he was going to have to defend himself or die. Ozone filled the air, giving a distinct sharpness to the static that accompanied it. Lightning cracked.

Nico saw Jason say his name, but he didn't hear anything. Nothing.

There was nothing. Nothing was right, or there, or good.

He needed… He needed…

'Nico.' Jason said again, his face totally different. Nico didn't even see how much of a threat Jason was warming up to be. He was a son of Hades, albeit a hated and unwanted one, but he was still strong. He always had been. Bianca said so. She said he was special. Said he was good. Said he'd be loved and would be able to lo

'Stop it, both of you!'

Nico was just about to swat Rachael out of the way when for a reason he'd never fully figure out, he stopped advancing and took a second to blink the fury from his vision.

Black hair. Wavy… Unruly, that was the word.

Bronze skin, paled from sickness.

Lips that were chapped and bitten, currently pink and plump.

Green eyes, that held the depths of the furthest and most magical oceans in them.

Hands, outstretched, one to Jason and one to Nico. The hand that held him and wiped his tears and blood.

'…Per… Percy?' It was barely a whisper, but Percy suddenly smiled and went to embrace Nico, a stupid grin still plastered to his face.

There was a flash of darkness and all that he took into his arms was air that smelled like death.

~ O ~

Well, this was unexpected to say the least.

Percy's soul wasn't gone.

In fact, it was in his body, right where it'd always been…

This was…

This… Was…

Nico let out a shuddered breath and resumed his rocking with fervour.

If anything, really, it felt like Percy's body was bursting with soul energy. _Did one of the gods bring him back?_

* * *

><p><em>The Olympians looked at each other, suspicion clear in their eyes. Just then, Aphrodite walked into their entertainment room (which was really a huge amphitheatre floating in the sky but whatever) brushing her hands and looking a little too innocent to believe. Each of the immortals steadily turned to her. <em>

_'__What did you do?' Ares asked once the love goddess had paused in her step. _

_'__When did he get here?' Hermes whispered to Apollo, who shrugged, while Aphrodite turned her nose in the air. _

_'__I didn't do anything, husband, and frankly I don't appreciate your tone.' She said, morphing slightly into Emilia Clark. _

_Ares just sneered, but glanced at their viewing glass and saw something developing, quickly turning everyone's attention back to their favourite (for now, at least) mortals._

_'__Look! He's coming back!'_

* * *

><p>Nico was still hugging his knees to his chest when the sliding glass door to their cabin opened. It was dark out now, and Nico was convinced it had all just been a hallucination, probably caused by Zeus to freak Nico out and not cause a scene that involved his precious son. Now no doubt, Rachael was here to check on him, or maybe Reyna, that would be nice, or maybe even Jason, Gods forbid, but<p>

'Nico.'

There was no point in even hoping. The burning and funeral rites would be performed soon and that would be that. Nico wondered if as the son of Hades whether he'd have to coordinate it or Octavian would do that. Still, as the one closest to Percy he'd have to do something. Or he could call Sall

'Nico,'

Then it would all go back to how it was. It would. It would. There would be whispers and glances and teasing and black baggy clothes Nico hadn't worn for a long time and blades and darkness and sadness and him being alone and then he'd be alone because no one will want him without Percy and he knew that and he knew that would happen—

'Nico, please.'

Oh Gods, it really was Percy's voice.

Nico didn't even think about holding back or subduing the sob that exploded from deep within his soul. He cried Percy's name over and over, eyes shut tight and body stiff as a board, even while strong arms picked up his huddled form and settled him in a lap on their couch.

His and Percy's couch.

No one held him like Percy did.

What felt like a short eternity later, Nico was down to hiccups and tears.

'Nico,' the voice whispered again. Now that he thought of it, it didn't really sound like Percy. It didn't at all.

'Please open your eyes, Nico.' Percy's voice was smooth, and made him calm, but this voice was scratchy, from ill-use.

'Nico?' This voice made him want to grit his teeth.

'Nico, look at me.' Nico looked.

It was Percy. Instantly all the tension melted from Nico's body and exhaustion set in. It almost came back once he realised just how much he depended on Percy; shit, he was acting like a little kid lost in the shopping centre, but Percy smiled.

It wasn't like when Percy grinned before, it was just a gentle smile that reassured him everything was going to be just fine.

'Hey,' He whispered, and a torrent of tears spilled down Nico's cheeks again.

'Hi,' He said back, voice cracked and broken. Percy's smile grew and a hand came up to brush through Nico's hair, which he leaned into like a touch-starved puppy. Percy leaned forward and placed a small kiss on Nico's forehead.

'I missed you,' He breathed. _You have no idea,_ Nico couldn't help but think. 'I heard you freaked a little while I was out.' Percy chuckled, and Nico felt an unusual sense of shame set in. 'Almost death-ray'd Jason, huh? I'm glad you didn't, I like that guy.'

Nico winced, but Percy didn't see, thankfully.

'Anyway, I'm starved, what've we got?'

Nico's swirling thoughts came to a halt as those words left Percy's mouth.

'What? Percy, I thought you were about to die, I—'

'What, you were here all this time and you didn't make dinner?' Percy made an uncharacteristic noise of disapproval, and Nico paused, trying to figure out what was going on. He managed to wriggle off Percy's lap and shuffled into the bedroom, stripping as he did, figuring it was time for a sleep.

What Percy making fun of him?

'Ah, that's what I like to see,' Percy's voice came from right in Nico's ear, and soon his strong arms were wrapped around Nico's middle that had just been shed of a shirt.

'Percy, I—' Percy shushed him, while nuzzling into his neck. Nico shut up, but protested again when Percy pushed them both on to the bed.

'Perce, I really don't think we…' Nico shivered as Percy made his way down his chest, and promptly stripped him of his pants.

'Percy, stop.' Apparently Percy's hearing had been damaged in the accident, because he just kept on going. Nico tried again, but Percy just silenced him with kisses that had a bit more bite than usual. Percy leaned up after getting in position and flipped Nico's legs up so he had better access, then pinned Nico's wrists to the bed while looking down at him lovingly. Nico was too exhausted to really be bothered anymore. At least this meant Percy still wanted him, right? He could go through one slightly-less-than-enjoyable screw if it meant that Percy wouldn't leave him.

Percy slammed in, gave him no time to adjust and started pumping. Nico may've screamed a little, severely re-thinking his choice.

For the first time, Percy closed his eyes as he finished inside Nico, and then simply rolled over and almost immediately fell asleep. Nico lay awake for the next few hours, trying to pin down what was off about the whole situation.

After a few more hours, Nico was even more exhausted, but couldn't fall asleep due to his racing thoughts.

Early in the morning, Nico fell asleep on the couch.

* * *

><p><strong>**I know everyone's probably wondering what the frog happened with Percy, but trust me, I am too. Also why did he take so long to get back? And what did Jason do?!<strong>

***scream***

**Stay tuned!****


	8. A Chivalrous Plan Interrupted

********heehee7****, yes, yes he most definitely did. (****︶︹︺****) Thank-you for the review though :3**

**Re-reminder that this story is probs gonna be really dark, so I think I'll put some breaks before and after those parts (none in this chapter, though) so people can still read it**

**Also, Mrs. O'Leary's antics are inspired by my own dog, Spag-Bol (Maggie). It helps they're similar breeds (Bernese Mountain Dog/Rottweiler)****

* * *

><p><em>How had so much happened in a week? <em>Rachael asked herself as she hoisted her backpack up on her shoulder as she walked toward the outskirts of the cohort barracks, where she was meeting Nico, and she supposed, Percy. There'd been a sticky-note in Nico's scratchy handwriting left on her forehead when she woke up that morning, saying to meet "me" at he noted rendezvous.

Trudging along the gravelled path, she spotted Nico and Percy standing near where the barracks met the road. Nico was staring at the ground, scuffing his shoe into the dirt and clearly deep in thought, where Percy was gazing off into the distance, a blissfully empty expression on her face.

'Hey, guys…' Rachael greeted, with less pizzaz than she usually would. Percy muttered a small hi where Nico went in for a hug.

Oh dear.

'So, what are we doing? I brought my hairbrush and some good stuff since I knew it'd probably be a little bit, definitely life-threatening, but I would like to know.' She said with a smile, an attempt at humour to lighten the damp mood. What happened last night between these two?

'We're, um,' Nico stole a glance at Percy, who was checking his hair in Riptide's blade. 'We're going to see my dad. There's something wrong, I think he's mad at me, and I'd like some moral support.' That caught Percy's attention, and the taller demigod came over to place his arm around Nico's shoulders, who managed a small, thankful smile that Rachael didn't want to think looked forced.

There was a pause before Rachael spoke. 'All righty then, let's go!' She called, before stopping again.

'Missus O'Leary Express, I'm guessing?' She asked, to which Nico smiled, more genuinely this time.

'No, actually, I'm—' He was cut off by a warping in the nearby shadows and two tonnes of Rottweiler bowling him over. A few deafening barks and one slobber-slicked Nico later, Rachael laughed as the hellhound turned on Percy.

'Missus O'Leary! Hey girl!' He cried, spreading his arms to hug her. The dog(?) though, was less enthusiastic. She tilted her head like a confused puppy, then stepped back until her rear was in Nico's face, and promptly sat down. Nico made a noise of annoyance from the ground, and Rachael was choking with laughter.

'Ugh, Missus O'Leary, hey!' Nico yelled, trying to push the huge canine off of him. 'Girl, let me up!'

Chuckling slightly, Percy stepped forward seemingly to help his boyfriend, but kicked up dust as the huge Underworld beast growled at him. Growled. Mrs. O'Leary. Percy Jackson.

Rachael stopped laughing, and Nico stopped struggling from underneath Mrs. O'Leary. Percy frowned.

'Hey girl, you like me, remember?' Mrs. O'Leary stopped growling, but stared daggers at Percy as he stayed where he was. She let out a little huff of surprise when Nico was suddenly standing with Rachael and Percy, the feeling of someone shadow-travelling out from under your butt probably felt weird.

'Well, that was weird.' Nico mused as he brushed himself off. Percy relaxed visibly.

'Nah, I probably just smell weird or something.'

'From what?' Nico asked with a sideways glance. Percy shrugged easily.

'I dunno. From the hospital, or something.'

Rachael frowned. These two were acting so weird.

'Anyway, you were saying, Nico?' She asked. Everyone, including the dog, looked to Nico, who gave Mrs. O'Leary an apologetic look.

'Well, I was going to say I was taking us, but since our little guardian demon was obviously eavesdropping on us, I suppose she can come.' Nico smiled lovingly at Mrs. O'Leary, who began jumping around in anticipation. It reminded Rachael of a puppy who learned what "walk" means. They all chuckled at her antics.

'All right, girl, settle down. You know where we're going?' Nico asked as her grabbed the fur of her ruff. A bark signalled that their ride was ready. Rachael held onto the other side of Mrs. O'Leary's neck, and Percy slowly went behind Nico and put his hand on the hellhound's rump. Ignoring the way Mrs. O'Leary swatted Percy with her tail, Nico said for them to go.

~ O ~

'Rachael, get back!' Nico's voice sounded strained and panicked, with a bunch of other unpleasant emotions mixed in, but Rachael was still too blinded to focus.

'What?' She managed, still blinking darkness out of her vision. Nico didn't answer. The silence made her force herself up from where she'd retched on the dusty soil of the Fields of Asphodel, and saw Nico in a staring contest with Percy. Mrs. O'Leary was no where to be seen.

'Nico? What's—'

'Rachael, where's my bag?' Nico asked, his voice wavering. Rachael glanced at Percy, who was standing as still as one of Medusa's statues. He was smiling, but it was made disturbing by not only him not moving, not even breathing, but by the look in his eyes.

He looked like he wanted to skin Nico alive.

Looking closer, peering through the Mist, Rachael's blood went cold.

A shock of unruly hair, like Percy's, but white gold. Gaunt cheeks, pale skin. Pointed ears, fangs dripping with saliva and poison, and twitching talons extended from bloodied fingers. A manic look in eyes that constantly changed colour.

'Mania,' Rachael whispered, taking an involuntary step back. The illusion of Percy returned as she blinked in shock, and Nico called out again.

'Rachael, please, my bag. Is it here? You need to grab it for me.' Rachael didn't even notice Nico brought a bag, but peering around, she spotted the small canvas backpack by Nico's feet.

'It's just behind you,' she choked out, 'to your right.'

Nico slowly knelt down, keeping eye contact with Percy— _the mania_ the whole time. As he grasped the dirt and grabbed his bag and began digging around, Percy was obviously fighting Nico's control. Nico began breathing faster but stood up and advanced toward Percy, a long golden chain in his hand. Rachael realised it must be imperial gold, and relaxed marginally as Nico wound the scarily thin chain around Percy's torso a few times, then tightly secured his wrists at the back, leaving a length which he twisted into a small loop at the end, the magical chain fusing into itself.

Percy hissed and Rachael cringed to see his skin begin to burn where the chain rubbed against it, but her sympathy soon dissipated. Nico breathed a sigh of relief as the mania was secure, and dropped his hold against it. Percy instantly turned on the son of Hades, bared his fangs like a trapped beast in an animalistic hiss and spat at him. Even though the mania was on its home ground and rushed Nico, the demigod had his sword against Percy's throat in a millisecond.

'Don't, for one second, think—' Nico spoke slowly, his voice so dark it gave Rachael shivers, 'that you are going to make it out of this place in one piece. My father will have you torn apart for eternity in Punishment. Now start walking.'

The mania simply backed up, smiled as if he and Nico had just shared a private joke, turned and started walking to Hades's palace in the distance. Nico quickly passed the end of the chain to Rachael, and the two started walking. Rachael grabbed Nico's hand and saw he looked even more pale than ever, obviously from shock.

'I'm sorry, we'll figure this out.' She whispered to him, and Nico sobered up instantly. He shook his head at her, then jutted his chin toward their prisoner in front of them, who was whistling a merry little tune as if they were off to have a picnic on a Sunday afternoon.

They walked for a minute in silence before a _very _foreign sound disrupted them and nearly made Nico fall on his face in surprise. Rachael bit back a laugh from how jumpy he was as Nico dug out a no-longer monster-attracting cell phone from his bag.

'Huh, really good service,' He mumbled as he answered. 'Hello?'

Sally Jackson's voice came through loud and clear. 'Hello dears! I was just wondering when you two will be back, I've back a whole bunch of goodies for you two, but don't worry if you can't eat them all, because you can take them to school tomorrow.'

Oh, right. It _was_ a Sunday afternoon. Recovering from surprise, Nico glanced up to see Percy had turned around and was smirking at him.

'Um, Missus Jackson—'

'Oh please, dear, Sally is fi—'

'Hey Mom! Nico chained me up and it's pretty hot to be honest, turns out he's a bit of a kinky bastard, eh?!' Percy yelled from in front of them, and Nico's jaw dropped even further. Great.

Rachael flicked the chain so it hit Percy in the face, and he turned around and kept on walking, laughing like a child the whole time.

Nico cringed at the silence on the phone.

'… Yeah,' He said slowly, 'that's not true.' Relief flooded through him as Sally Jackson laughed all the way from the world of the living.

'Oh, it's all right Nico, that's my Percy… So what time will you guys be here? And I have nothing against Blackjack, but please pass it on that Paul would appreciate it if you didn't land on his car this time; if that's how you're going to get here…' And on she went. It brought tears to Nico's eyes listening to her prattle on, love and pride in her voice as she talked about their supernatural exploits and having dinner with them and going to school the next day all in the same sentence. He sniffed and blinked quickly as he waited for a moment to interrupt her.

'So really, Paul's very happy that you and Percy can go to school together, and so am I, but I think he's just looking forward to being able to hassle two of his students about homework twenty-four-seven—'

'Um, Miss— Sally.' Sally stopped speaking, and Nico could tell she knew what he was going to say. Demigod business. He took a deep breath, but stuttered when he noticed Percy had turned back around and was staring at him with a passion, a strange expression on his face. 'Percy and I won't be able to get back tonight, and— I'm really sorry —but probably not for a few days.'

Silence.

'Oh, well, that's okay, the other mums at school say soup and pasta are even better when you leave them for a few days.' Nico bit his lip as he could almost hear the smile Sally was forcing for their sakes. 'So what are you two rascals up to?'

Nico glanced at Percy before answering, not really knowing how to phrase this certain situation so as to not panic Sally. Percy seemed to be staring at Nico's feet, but Percy's face showed that he was deep in thought.

'Percy?' Nico said quietly, forgetting he had a phone to his ear. Percy quickly glanced up at Nico but tripped over his own feet in doing so, landing hard on his butt on the dirt.

'Nico? Are you two okay?'

Nico didn't even think about what he answered with.

'I'm with Percy, Sally, we'll always be okay. Sorry, gotta go now, I'll call you to tell you when we'll be there.' He hung up, hearing Sally nervously bid them goodbye on the other end. He and Rachael stopped walking as Percy slowly managed to get his feet under him. It pained Nico to see Percy like this, chained up and… In pain? He was breathing faster now, and shuddering slightly. He looked up, clear ocean-green eyes looking at Nico in panic.

'Nico?' Nico couldn't respond before Percy let out a groan and bent over in pain. He shuddered, shook his head, muttered a few illegible words, then went still.

Looking at the ground, Percy stood and the small piece of hope inside Nico shrivelled a little more as he sensed the mania was back in control.

The mania looked up at them, surveying them as if nothing happened.

'Well?' It said curtly, and in Percy's voice. 'We have a shitty father to see.'

Percy turned and the three resumed walking.

Nico swore to himself.

~ O ~

The rest of the walk was quiet, even into Hades's palace. The guards didn't try to stop them as Nico, Rachael and mania-Percy headed to Hades's throne room, where he always seemed to be.

Of course, Nico having the di Angelo-luck, Hades wasn't. Since wandering the castle seemed like a pretty unwise idea, Nico told Rachael to get comfortable, but it turned out they didn't have to wait long. Within a minute of awkward silence, Nico sensed his father coming down the corridor they entered from, accompanied by someone else, Persephone most likely. Great.

Less great, turns out it was Jason Grace.

* * *

><p><strong>**So, I kept on writing into the next chapter before I looked at my notes and saw I originally planned to end it here :P I feel like my chapter are getting shorter, are they?<strong>

**Also, oh my gods, I love Sally. She's gonna be in the sequels to this story, I don't even care if it's set in Tartarus. **

**Actually, I don't wanna put Sally in Tartarus, and I'm pretty sure cell reception can only go so far. All right then, no Tartarus. :P**

**Anyway, reviews please, I love to know what you guys are thinking, are there any questions about characters or stuff that you're wondering about, because I might forget to re-mention something and I'd hate to leave any plot holes, so please gimme a shout :)****


	9. Oh Shiet

****So, I kept on writing into the next chapter before I looked at my notes and saw I originally planned to end it here [by "here" I meant "there" i.e. the end of last chapter *facepalm*] :P I feel like my chapters are getting shorter, are they?**

**Anyway, reviews please, I love to know what you guys are thinking, are there any questions about characters or stuff that you're wondering about, because I might forget to re-mention something and I'd hate to leave any plot holes, so please gimme a shout :)**

**Oh my goodness Ican'twaittofinishthischapterrrrrr****

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><p>Nico felt his heart speed up and hands clench as he saw that <em>goddamn stupid <em>blonde hair, and it was only Hades mentally shoving him back that stopped him from summoning some skeletons to drag Jason away that second.

'Nico, what are you doing here?' Hades's deep voice commanded the room, and only the crackling of the huge fireplace and Percy's crazed mumblings filled the silence. At the sound, Hades and Jason turned to Percy, who was kneeling on the ground, still chained up, rocking slightly and mumbling nothings, occasionally wincing and growling. Nico saw both Hades's and Jason's faces twist into a mixture of confusion and disgust. He suddenly felt quite insulted and protective.

'I need help with Percy.' Nico gestured to his boyfriend, and his father raised an eyebrow as if to say he could see that pretty well on his own. 'Mania. But I also need to talk to you.'

There was a pause as everyone thought about whether or not they should say something. Rachael fiddled with the chain, Percy laughed at a joke in his head, Nico glared at Jason, who scuffed his feet against the ground, and Hades tried to figure the whole situation out.

'You're right.' He finally said, drawing Nico's frightful gaze from Jason. 'We should… Discuss things. You can leave your friend here, walk with me.' Hades turned to leave, and as Nico followed his father, he shot _killer_ looks at Jason, who lowered his gaze and tried to hug the wall as much as he could, moving further away from Nico as the son of Hades left the room.

Nico and Hades walked for a few minutes in silence, and when they were well and truly lost in the castle corridors, far enough for Nico to not be able to sense the mania/Percy's bitter aura anymore, the Ghost King breathed a sigh of relief.

And then let out another one as he prepared to ask his father a question that he knew he wouldn't like the answer to.

'Why have you been shutting me out?' Nico hated how he sounded like a jilted schoolgirl, but he had to know. Hades visibly tensed and his answer was short and bitten out.

'What makes you think that?' He said, staring straight ahead. Nico couldn't have hidden his downcast expression if he tried. He glanced up at his father, the stoic look on his face revealing no emotion except pure apathy.

Strangely enough, Nico found himself thinking of Hephaestus. Leo seemed like he talked with his godly parent quite a bit, and Nico had heard of the amazing floating dragon-head occurrence. Not for the first time, Nico wished not that his father was a normal dad, but that he at least acted like a dad. Before he realised he was staring, Hades glanced down at his son to see why he hadn't responded. At seeing Nico's glum expression clearly focused on him, he cleared his throat. Nico looked back to his feet.

'Really?' He asked quietly, but the halls in the land of the dead were quiet, the sound of their footfalls being soaked up by the parched walls. 'It wasn't that hard, _Dad._ Under the earth is meant to be where I'm most comfortable, but I just got migraines. Being in the dark—' Hades winced at his son's soulless laugh, 'made me _scared!'_ He sighed.

'I just want to know why, and then I'll be out of your hair, forever. I know you'd only want to see me when I die, and hopefully I'd've brought honour on our legacy or something…' Nico was mumbling, but was still abruptly cut off when wiry yet strong arms wrapped around him.

_Oh shit, _Nico swore to himself, _I pissed him off— hug of death. _

When a forlorn sigh rustled his hair, and no instantaneous offended-god-induced death came, Nico was no less scared, but even more confused. Which made him more pissed off. Without really knowing what he was doing, Nico shoved his father away from him.

'Don't think you can just show some affection and I'll idolise you again, _Hades.'_ He spat the name, though Hades didn't flinch, just bore that same expression on his face that Nico only fully read when he'd calmed down.

Shame. Pity. Mostly sadness.

Nico was understandably caught off guard.

Hades approached him again, slower this time. Still, before Nico had time to realised Hades was going to hug him _again_, he was wrapped up in, well, _fatherly_ arms. After what must've been quite a few minutes, Nico felt himself relax in to the touch, which was beyond strange.

'Remember, when I told you that I've rarely seen my children happy, and I sincerely wished you could be the difference? I really meant that, Nico.' Nico's name sounded strange coming from his father's mouth. 'Only I… I didn't actually believe it would happen. I mean no offence, son, I just didn't see your happiness coming, and, well.' Another sigh, and the arms around Nico loosened a fraction.

'Things are lonely down here, and—' Hades stopped midway, and cleared his throat, using the moment to hold Nico at arms length and look him in the eye, which was no small amount intimidating.

'I was jealous. I'm sorry, Nico. I didn't even know I was hurting you that badly, but I… Well, I'm sure you know I don't have the most agreeable personality even at the best of times.' Hades attempted a cautious smile, but it soon faded to shame again as he saw Nico's expressionless face. Hades' hands dropped from Nico's shoulders as he took another deep breath.

'I'm sorry, Nico, I am. I was… Acting childish. I wasn't putting what was best for you first, so… I am sorry. I know it's difficult to have a father that's not even really the same species, but I could try harder to at least be one.'

Once again, Nico was a little taken aback. Not only was one of _the most_ stubborn and grudge-prone gods admitting to doing something stupid, he was apologising, too.

'Holy shit,' Nico managed quietly, then frowned. 'Who are you and what have you done with my dad?'

Hades didn't exactly laugh, but he smiled. That still pissed Nico off a bit because it seemed like Hades thought he had been forgiven, which was _not_ the case.

'So that's why you, you… _Boycotted_ the awards ceremony?' Nico growled. 'You couldn't stand seeing me happy?!'

There was silence, and out of the corner of his eye Nico might've seen a spectre float through one wall and into the other, but he remained staring at Hades.

'Yes, Nico. Fortunately Poseidon was willing to—'

'No, I don't care about that! I don't care about any stupid laurel, I care about you hating my boyfriend!' Nico knew he was yelling, and that Hades's patience was probably running out, but he couldn't help himself.

'I don't,' Hades paused, 'hate Perseus, Nico—'

'Then what's your problem? Or are you just so fucked in the head that you want to ruin all happiness you see?!'

That seemed to do it; Hades eyes went as cold as the stone that made his castle, and Nico felt his soul shrivel a little in fear.

'I do not. Hate. Percy.' Hades repeated slowly. 'Nor your happiness, though if it makes you act like _this_, I might just begin to. I was jealous of your happiness, and wasn't aware that that was manifesting to you.' Strangely, Hades's face went soft again with his next words.

'I apologised, Nico. Perhaps you could take a lesson from an Olympian and try to forgive me.' The ruler of the Underworld straightened up and turned back the way the two had come from.

'That's all there is to it. Now, let's see about your friend. I mean,' Hades began to walk ahead, and Nico couldn't see his face as he spoke next, 'Let's see about Percy.'

~ Yay, Hades isn't _really _a homophobic arsehole! ~

Oh, this was bad.

'Oh, this is bad.' Hades said as they stepped into the apparently empty throne room.

'Dad,' Nico said, refusing to let panic enter his voice but pretty much failing, 'please tell me Persephone just took them somewhere.'

He looked to Hades to see the man frown, and Nico's hands began to tremble from how worried he was.

'Persephone escorted your friend—' Nico glared at Hades. 'Fellow camp-mate—' Nico's stare still spoke volumes, and Hades sighed. '_Jason _back topside, but that only should've taken a moment…' Hades turned to face his son. 'Percy isn't in the Underworld, Nico.'

Damnit, the mania had probably wanted to cause more ruckus in New Rome, and Nico felt himself pale to think that a crazy Percy and love-struck Jason were alone up there, together.

'Dad, you gotta—'

'Nico—'

'No Dad, this is serious! I have to—'

'Percy isn't on Earth, either, Nico.' Hades said sombrely. Nico stopped his rantings, and a cold feeling came over him.

'He's… Dead?' It escaped Nico's notice that if Percy was dead, he would still be in the Underworld, but that was the only explanation that came to mind. Hades shook his head no. Nico frowned.

'Then what?' Nico asked. Hades turned and strode over to the huge hearth that burned with souls of the damned.

'There's no way a mania could get into Olympus, and I don't sense Percy on Earth, or a mania down here. Maniae are creatures of madness and chaos, Nico.' Hades waved a slender hand over the flames, the small deformed hands of the damned trying to grasp his fingers to escape. 'There's only one more place it could be.'

The coldness that came over Nico before was nothing compared to the chill that stopped his lungs and heart for a moment when he realised where Percy was, and where he'd have to go to rescue him.

'Tartarus.'

* * *

><p><strong>**OOOOOOHHH SHIIIEET! Also, when Nico said, "It wasn't that hard, <strong>**_Dad."_**** The ****_Dad_**** was my 22,666th word! Just thought the triple six on the god of the underworld was funny :)**

**Stay tuned, and tell me whatcha think, and thank you for reading!****


	10. Outta The Frying Pan-Into The Phlegethon

****Warning: some violence later in this chapter, and it'll be very dark after that (in the next), and some pretty strong language**

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><p>Nico felt himself start to breath faster and faster as images of blood mist and innumerable monsters and walking on glass came to his mind and refused to let him calm.<p>

'Dad, I— Dad, no I-I can't—'

'Nico, Nico!' Hades tried shaking his son to grab his attention, but upon seeing it wasn't working, he tried channeling calming energy. Nico relaxed marginally as he mentally returned to the throne room, but then promptly began crying.

A vague, 'Why the fuck does this always happen?' could be made out between sobs, and Hades gently laid his hand on the back of his son's neck as consolation.

'I'll take you to a room. Rest, Nico, then we can talk and discuss… This.' Nico just kept crying while Hades transported them to a musty, never-used bedroom in the palace. Hades made sure Nico at least sat down, then left him to sleep.

Eventually, Nico caught his breath, but was feeling lightheaded from hyperventilating, so was grateful for the bed to lie own on. Now more calmed, the tears that rolled down his face to his ears itched, and Nico was suddenly furious. He scrubbed at his face in frustration before letting out a small scream, causing cracks of darkness to appear in the walls of the room. With a grunt of annoyance, he let his hands drop to the bed and tried to think.

_I can't go back to Tartarus. I just can't, I nearly went insane the first —and last, _he reminded himself_— time. There has to be another way. _

Perhaps send other demigods? A whole trained team would probably stand a better chance than just Nico… Though on seconds thoughts, that was probably untrue. So no, that was too cruel; Nico refused to be responsible for the almost _certain_ death of anyone who tried to rescue Percy, if anyone he knew would even volunteer.

Knowing the gods, they probably weren't an option. Making excuses or procrastinating or recommending others to do it, that's just how the gods were with trips to Tartarus. Actually, that's pretty much how the gods were with anything that wouldn't directly benefit them.

So, Nico still felt numb to the realisation that he was going back to Tartarus.

_I can't go back to Tartarus. But I will._

_For Percy._

~ O ~

'Is this really all I'll need?' Nico asked as he hefted the very light backpack on his shoulder outside the main doors of Hades's palace.

'Well, you'll probably end up getting ambushed and lose them anyway, so—'

'Persephone, enough!' Hades growled. The goddess of the Underworld shut her trap, but not without a playful smirk on it, then disappeared, a small jewelled flower popping up where she was standing. 'Yes, Nico. You want to travel light, and hopefully not travel for too long. If things are as we suspect, the mania will find you anyway.'

Nico and Hades had discussed what was most likely going on, and Hades put forward that the mania was probably holding Rachael captive in Tartarus, just to _extra_ make sure Nico would go there to save someone. In other words, a great big annoying trap.

'Remember, Nico. Tartarus is the monsters' home territory. It'll be much stronger there, and you won't be able to control it fully. Be smart, try to avoid everything but try to cover as much distance as possible, yes?'

Nico nodded, and it did nothing for Nico's nerves to see Hades looking a little nervous.

'Where… Which way should I go?' He asked, drawing his father's attention back. Hades gestured to their left, to a tangerine horizon.

'Follow the border between Punishment and the Fields… You'll fall before long.' Silence befell the two, and with one last quick hug and a tight smile, Hades was gone.

Nico took a deep breath. He was going to go to Tartarus. He was going to walk until he fell, get found by Percy, and… Somehow get them back and Percy unpossessed. Preferably not die before doing that.

He was prepared: he had ambrosia, along with a fresh stash of pomegranate seeds (begrudgingly given to him by Persephone), his sword and a jacket of Nemean lion fur glamoured to look like a normal, black flak jacket. Nico sighed and began walking.

There was a half-ruined black brick path that he followed that clearly marked the border between Punishment and the Fields of Asphodel. It was strange, walking on the border of two areas spoken of as never-ending. Still, the few souls he passed obviously couldn't see him, and it made Nico feel a little disappointed that they must've only been seeing never-ending horizon. Once someone clearly determined to not walk in circles walked straight into the barrier, and Nico was a little alarmed to see the young man just disappear. He assumed the spirit had just been sent back closer to the middle of the Fields, unharmed.

The same could not be said for those on the other side of Nico's path. The Ghost King was grateful to notice the worst of the punishment he could see was closer to the palace, and though the _really _bad stuff was still close to the palace, it wasn't so close to the border. Eventually things tapered out into souls chained up and hanging from trees, to the occasional being forced to walk on hot coals.

Not to mean Nico wasn't disturbed, he definitely kept from letting his eyes stray, but he couldn't stop himself from thinking.

Was that how Percy felt right now? Trapped and tortured beyond his control? The look in Percy's eyes for that one lucid moment while walking to Hades's palace made Nico begin to believe that.

What if Percy was in pain right now? Nico cringed, and began walking a little faster, not noticing the environment around him darkening slightly.

Thoughts of Percy trapped in his own mind by a spirit of insanity, possibly hurting Rachael— one of the few good friends Nico had, consumed his time walking.

Right until he went and walked into nothingness.

It seemed that Nico's negative thoughts were enough to attract the dark gravity of Tartarus, so one moment Nico was walking in eternal twilight, the next he's falling through the earth (can you call the ground of the Underworld "earth"?) into the realm of monsters since time immemorial, even for the gods.

~ O ~

_Shit, shitshitshitshit fuck!_

Oh, this was _so_ not a good start.

Nico grimaced as he ran his fingers along his ankle, which currently felt like it was being crushed by a tonne of stone. He could move his toes, and nothing felt broken, but he'd definitely strained something, his Achilles tendon perhaps. How ironic he'd be brought down by literally the most famous weak spot in history. Taking a deep breath, he slipped off his bag, hissing in pain as the movement rubbed his rear into the broken-glass ground.

Falling had taken a shorter amount of time than he'd presumed, so before Nico could get his bearings and prepare to fall right —hopefully, he'd landed painfully half-on his feet, and half-on his side. Nico had run a hand past his face once he'd cleared his head and knew there was many small cuts down his face and neck from landing on the glass, but chose to ignore them for now, focusing on his ankle.

'Shit,' He swore quietly once he saw his ambrosia had turned to ash. Godsdamn friggin' stupid unholy Tartarus. Brushing out his backpack, then just delegating to discard it completely, Nico attempted standing up.

Yeah, that was a bad idea.

Nico forced himself to not fall over for fear of putting a hand out to stop the fall and stab himself more on the glass. Still, he wasn't going to get far with a foot he could put no weight on whatsoever.

Sighing, Nico drew his sword and, grimacing at how much the glass would be hurting the blade, began using it as a crutch.

Of course, he didn't have to suffer long, because after a few minutes growls and snarls not too far off had him frozen in his tracks.

There was silence where Nico listened carefully while glancing around him for the disturbance. There was a rocky outcropping of huge boulders ahead, and, well, not much else. It seemed a bank of blood fog had swept in, and Nico could barely see a few metres more in any direction.

There was the faint cracking of glass, clearly footsteps of more than a few beings, coming from behind Nico. Then silence.

'Well, well,' Was hissed in an inhuman voice that gave Nico shivers. _Shitshitshit. _He turned so his back was facing the boulders, and strained his eyes to see past the mist.

'Where are you, little demigod?' The voice called in a singsong voice. Female, Nico could tell. Whatever female monster was homing in on Nico's scent was speaking softly, and Nico realised it was because she didn't want any other monsters come and steal part of her prey. It was a little worrying, noticing the enemy that was closing in on you wasn't some stupid beast.

As quietly as he could while walking on broken glass with a sprained ankle, Nico tried to back toward the boulders. He had no doubt he'd have to fight this creature, by the speed of which it was coming toward him, but some height on those boulders would be a good advantage.

Still swearing silently at how slow he was moving and how much pain shot up from his ankle, Nico inched his way toward the boulders, the acid air stinging his nostrils as he tried to breathe quietly.

Nico's shuffling was stopped by something thin, long, dark and fucking terrifying emerging from the mist ahead of him.

Oh_, Hades _no, he thought to himself as one, two, three more spindly legs made their way straight toward Nico. Eventually, the demigod was looking up into the beautiful yet horrifying face of—

'Arachne,' He tried to say sternly, but it came out as more of a scared whimper. Pain shot up his leg, like a heads up of what was about to come. Yeah, fighting Arachne would be a bitch.

She took a few steps (which with that many legs, didn't get her so far) toward Nico, licking saliva from her fangs, her clawed fingers twitching in anticipation.

'Little demigod, it's been a while.' Godsdamn, that spidery lisp she had on the _s_'s was terrifying, but not like he'd let her know that. Nico slapped a smug smile onto his face and tried to not let the pain he was in show.

'Yes, I recall the last time we met me and my team threw you down your own trap. Good times.' Nico greeted with a smile, which was returned with a snarl.

'Make jokes now, little demigod, for we won't meet twice.' She began forward, multiple legs flicking glass shards everywhere, and with that threatening last sentence, Nico was saved.

'Hey! He's mine, bitch!'

There was a time not so long ago that Nico would've positively swooned at Percy Jackson appearing out of nowhere to save him from a monster (or at least help him beat it, he wasn't _completely_ hopeless), but the overly-smug voice of the mania-possessed Percy was just painful. Arachne seemed to think so too.

'You had me exited, _mania_. I thought I could get two for one.' Nico would've shrivelled under the death glare the mother of spiders was shooting Percy, who was presumably standing on the boulders behind Nico.

'Yeah, well, I called dibs.' Percy replied smoothly, not sounding threatened in the least. Glass clacking alerted Nico to Percy dropping down from the boulders and striding up to Nico.

The son of Hades didn't want to see Percy in Tartarus, not when he was like this. Screwing his eyes shut, Nico tried not to flinch too much when the mania's arm snaked around his middle in a mockery of a loving hold, and a kiss was placed on his cheek which left the side of his face stinging like he'd been splashed with acid.

'Hey babe, am I interrupting?' Nico could hear the smirk in the mania's voice, and he _really_ didn't like it. Fingers tensing around the hilt of his sword, he quickly took a step back and drew the blade to Percy's throat. Of course, that meant he had to open his eyes, and the sight was worse than he could've imagined.

It looked just like Percy. Yes, _it._ This was the mania, but now, no matter how hard Nico tried, he couldn't see the beast underneath. There was only Percy's gorgeous, black, windswept hair, his vibrant green eyes and pink lips turned upward in a smile. His hands with those beautiful slender fingers Nico loved so much were raised in a sign of defence, but after a moment, the look on the mania's face turned to one of pure contempt.

Nico felt his arm go weak from the strain of holding up the heavy sword, and despite his best efforts, the sword drooped, then fell from his hand.

'Disgusting,' Was muttered as Arachne shuffled away into the mist, the faint swishing of broken glass her exit theme.

The mania walked right up to Nico, and _gods_ was it creepy to have a monster this close to you without a shred of fear in its eyes. The mania was looking at Nico, as if evaluating how he'd want to slice up the fresh cut of meat he just got.

Suddenly, the mania's face softened into a loving smile, and before Nico could swat him away, Percy's hands rose to cup his cheeks, forcing Nico to look right into the eyes of madness.

'Let's go home, love.' it said, and gave Nico a soft peck on the lips. "Peck" was definitely the word for it, as it nibbled Nico's lips painfully after the initial kiss.

Then the mania promptly sank it's fangs into Nico's neck, and before the son of Hades could remember how most monster saliva had instant anaesthetising toxins in it, he was unconscious.

* * *

><p><strong>**Wow, so, it's Friday night and I've decided to just get this story DONE. I know I want four separate stories in this series, and I know what'll be in the fourth one, but I need to figure out a third one! If y'all have any ideas based on perhaps characters you want to see, or places you want to visit, please shoot me your ideas because it all helps :))) Love,<strong>

**TJ****


	11. I'm Running Out Of Chapter Titles

**(I'm gonna be honest, I wanted to start a tradition in my stories where there's a death in the 13th chapter, and I stuffed up my content-chapter things, so I figured I'd make a A/N chapter to fix the pattern .)**

**PLEASE READ:**

**Hey y'all, I know technically we're not allowed to do just A/N chapters, but I've seen it done before and apparently the authors didn't get reprimanded for it, and this is my first time so I'm just gonna do it.**

**So, the next few chapters are all written up, which is pretty much the end of the story, and I know what I want in the story after the next (which'll be the end of ****_this_**** Percico series :( ) but I'm struggling for something bad that could happen between the end of this story (set in about two weeks from where it is now) and a year. **

**Basically, I'm begging for some creative juice here, guys. If you have any ideas whatsoever, even just characters you want to see, please PM or comment them to me, and it'll help us all get more fic faster :3**

**Anyway, thanks :***

**- TJ**


	12. Dear Gods, I'm So Sorry

****So, I got a little carried away here… Hehe. Heh. *awkwardly rubs neck* We've made it to the super violent chapter, here are the warnings: frequent VERY strong language, violence in the form of torture and rape. If you don't want to read all those, just go to the next chapter and I'll have a clean abridgement of what happened.**

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><p>Nico was sluggish coming to, but once he did, adrenaline made sure he was goddamn <em>awake.<em>

His hands were chained above his head, and he had to begin wriggling his numb fingers and throbbing toes to get the blood flow back up again. Looking around he was in what looked like a stone cave, presumably under that rocky outcropping of boulders he'd seen Perc— the mania emerge from before he… Passed out?

Well, that would've been embarrassing.

Systematically checking his body, Nico seemed okay, except for the busted ankle, and intense pain that came from rolling his neck. Glancing down, rivets of blood had dried down his chest and Nico figured the mania had _bitten_ him. The bastard.

Also, he wasn't wearing a shirt, which was a little weird.

On second thought, was not weird. The mania had already proven it was pretty into Nico, and with a heavy heart the son of Hades realised there was a good chance that the mania, in Percy's body, would rape him before he could get Percy and escape.

Letting out a wistful breath, he hung his head and tried to gather his thoughts.

_Okay, I've been captured. Technically, this is to plan. Now I just have to get out of these bonds, and find a way out of Tartarus. _

The Doors of Death was pretty clearly not an option, so he'd have to use a sneaky beat-the-line way out, probably Tartarus's armpit or something. But there was one problem, and that was that Nico didn't know where this hidden exit could be, so that meant he needed the mania. Which meant he needed his sword back, but to use it, he needed to heal.

_Okay Nico, we can do that, and it won't be more than a week. Just wait till it fucks up, then force it to get us out. Easy. _

~ Present, five weeks later ~

_Damn, these chains ache, _Nico mused not for the first time as he swayed from the binds that had kept him in the mania's clutches for what must've been a few weeks, now. Despite all of Nico's wishful thinking, he had not healed, and the mania had not fucked up. The manacles were tight around his scabbed wrists and the chain had no intention of breaking out of the chain loop embedded in the stone above the demigod. His sword had not moved from where it had been dropped haphazardly near the entrance, taunting Nico constantly.

Trying to loosen up his knotted muscles, Nico rolled his shoulders, and though he felt the sting of lash wounds reopening, it was worth the pops of his spine and the minuscule relief that came with it.

There was the sound of scuffing sneakers on the boulders that mostly covered the entrance and Percy dropped into the dim cave. In the first few days, when Nico had been delirious with thirst and hunger, he'd been fooled into thinking Percy had come to save him. It was when instead of cutting him free of his bonds, Percy cut _him_. Yeah, Nico didn't fall for that anymore.

'Hello, darling.' The mania greeted as it strutted over and kissed Nico on the cheek. Nico hated when it was like this, but he was grateful the mania actually talked nothing like Percy, so it made _this_ a little easier.

If he wasn't so dehydrated, Nico would've spat right on the mania's Percy-looking face. Or whatever.

It seemed the mania noticed, and reached to draw something from his pant pocket. _Percy's pants,_ Nico scowled. The mania unclipped a flask from the belt loops and held it up to Nico's lips. Closing his eyes tight Nico prepared for the burning sensation of the Phlegethon's fire-water that seemed to hurt more every time he was fed it, he gulped it down. Gasping for air (and also out of pain) as the lip of the bottle was taken away from his, Nico once again cursed his inaction and how he hadn't busted out of here yet. Still, despite all his silent cursing, the son of Hades could feel himself growing weaker after every whipping, or cutting, or whatever the mania chose to punish him with for its entertainment, and knew that he had to break out, and he had to do it _soon._

'How are you today, Nico?' The mania asked, the most curious look in its voice and on its innocent little face.

'Fucking peachy.' He rasped, head hanging despite his efforts to keep it up. There was a soft laugh before Nico must've blacked out for a few seconds. He was quickly brought back to consciousness by a light pressure on his back, then burning pain that spread through his body and made even the tips of his fingers tingle. Nico screamed, but with his burnt throat he began coughing violently afterward, blood —well, _more_ blood— spattering his feet. The screams died off into broken sobs and the occasional choked gasp as the mania tore through an especially big nerve with its blade, but a short eternity later, Nico was left alone.

Time seemed to slow just after these sessions, and it seemed like days later that Nico was able to return to himself.

This time, the demigod screamed for all he was worth out of frustration, pulling on those _fucking_ manacles, and thrashing about for some leverage, for _anything_ to loosen, to just _give him a chance._

When he finally stopped struggling, Nico hung his head, took shaky breaths and spent the next few minutes hating the tears that rolled down his nose and splatted on the floor with a passion unlike any other. He did this not only to pass the time, but because he knew that if he focused too much on what the mania was doing in Percy's skin, he wouldn't ever be able to forgive him.

~ O ~

Nico didn't really pay attention to what it must've done to his wrists to fall asleep while hanging from them, but after an especially bad pulling session, the pain had all but disappeared. Nico figured that was probably a bad sign, but really couldn't bring himself to care.

It was hard to tell time now, and the demigod had the horrible feeling that it had been _weeks_ since his last lucid thoughts. And though the torture was beyond horrible, the times he was left alone were worse than that. Knowing he was alone, chained up, and in Tartarus, totally defenceless just made him breathe faster and faster until he couldn't anymore and essentially passed out. The sound of Percy's sneakers dropping into their little cavern brought with it an insurmountable feeling of dread, but Nico knew enough to be grateful that it wasn't someone— some_thing_ else.

'I am Nico di Angelo,' Nico rasped to himself whenever he could find the energy. 'I love Percy Jackson. I am the son of Hades.'

Nico was pretty sure that list of sanity-keeping topics had originally been longer, but it had obviously tapered off into the three most important things to him.

'I am Nico di Angelo. I love Percy… Percy Jackson. I'm the son of Hades. I'm Nico di Angelo. I love Percy Jackson. Hades is my father. I am Nico di Angelo…'

Time was strange here.

~ O ~

Though the mania was stranger. Sometimes it would just be amazingly happy, buzzing around its chained up Nico like a doting housewife (and chatting him up like one, too), other times it was obviously trying its hardest to be Percy, using the language he used and the same mannerisms. Occasionally it was like Nico existed for nothing more than to be abused, and the mania liked it.

'I'm sorry, I'm sorry Percy.' Nico would whisper as he was whipped along his front and back with what felt like solidified fire when he'd been ordered to count the lashes. He knew that if he did, his captor would stop at a certain number, but since he refused to he was beaten until he passed out.

The nightmares were probably the worst, though. The mania could do whatever he wanted to him (thought he hadn't had sex with him yet, strange) but the nightmares were when Nico's barriers were at their lowest.

Nico had pretty much figured he wasn't healing pretty much at all because all his energy was being put into not seeing Tartarus. He wasn't even trying, but it was most likely a subconscious thing, his reptile bring knowing that that would be the final straw. Nico had once forced his energy elsewhere, if anything to just relieve the growing pressure in his head, but once the stones around him turned fleshy and the back of the cave behind him morphed into a spiked throat glistening with acid, he'd screamed so horrifically that Percy beat him into unconsciousness, for fear of attracting other monsters, perhaps.

Worryingly, Nico couldn't actually recall the nightmares. He just knew they left his muscles trembling and lungs paralysed, and his brain severely craving a bleaching.

Percy — the _mania_, seemed to enjoy waking him up, so Nico wasn't really surprised to be woken from his fitful sleep (which was really just collapsing from sheer exhaustion) by pain digging its way deeper into his chest, until Nico felt like he was being skewered, and looking into the joyful yet carefully calculating eyes of the mania. This was one of its favourites, forcing its talons slowly into Nico's chest, missing anything vital of course but leaving thin, yet _very_ deep incisions.

As Nico struggled for breath alongside the now horribly-familiar feeling of having demon claws pressing into his lungs, the mania stilled. Nico glanced at it, assuming it was just savouring the feeling of having its prisoner literally and physically at its fingertips, but Nico was even more disturbed by its expression.

_Oh gods please, please no not this, not now, _Nico chanted in his head as the talons receded and the mania frowned in confusion, before blinking as if just waking up.

Nico took a deep breath and tried to think of what he'd say in these next few vital seconds, ignoring the way blood was streaming from his chest.

'Percy? Percy, you with me?' Nico searched his boyfriend's eyes as they were fixed on his own hands, which were covered in Nico's blood. Percy blinked again and began breathing faster, before looking up at Nico, terror beyond anything Nico had ever seen on Percy's face written in his eyes.

'Oh god— oh my _gods!'_ Percy all but screeched, looking around for something to press into Nico's wounds to staunch the bleeding.

'Percy, stop it! I need you to grab my sword and untie me!'

'What, no you're—'

'Percy just _shut up and give me my sword!'_ Nico screamed. There was no way he could get this close, have _this_ opportunity and not take for all it was worth. Percy stopped his scrambling about and looked Nico in the eye.

'... Nico, there's no way you could even lift your sword right now.' He said, almost gently. With a sinking feeling, Nico realised he was right. Before he could muster up the energy to thrash about in frustration of having come up with the most useless plan ever, Percy had undone the shackles and was holding Nico's broken body as they both fell to the ground.

'Oh gods I'm so sorry, I'm so, so sorry,' Was the litany of apologies coming from Percy as Nico pressed his hands to his eyes in an effort to stop the hot tears. He knew Percy was looking him over and was probably about to be sick from the injuries Nico was currently sporting, but really, _really_, he couldn't bring himself to care. He just couldn't.

Sniffing and blinking through the tears, Nico raised a shaking hand to Percy's cheek to bring their eyes to meet. After looking him over, Percy was just looking down in shame, but Nico wanted to see the greens of his eyes again.

'Beautiful,' He whispered as their eyes met. Percy cringed and looked down in shame again, but laid his hand over Nico's and squeezed gently. Percy was crying, and still apologising relentlessly, but Nico was in his beloved's arms and was going numb from shock.

'Please, Nico. Please kill me,' Percy begged as he reached behind him to grab Nico' s sword and pressed it into Nico's hand. 'It's coming back, I can feel it. I'm so sorry but please kill me before it—'

'I'm not fucking killing you Percy,' Nico said, the way a parent would tell a child they couldn't have bricks as a side dish to their cheesecake. Seeing Percy so, well, broken brought tears to Nico's eyes again.

'And anyway, didn't you promise to never leave me when I needed you again?' Nico tried for a smile, which was difficult and Percy didn't see anyway.

'Yeah, but—' Percy sobbed, and Nico winced at the broken sound. 'this is what's best for you. I-I can't be… You can't have…'

'You promised me, Percy. I need you now, okay?' Nico said quietly, wishing— wishing for a lot of things, actually, but in that moment, wishing Percy would just hold him. Percy shook his head and tears landed on Nico's arm.

'You… Rachael isn't even here, Nico. She's… It let her g-go.' Percy brought the arms that was around Nico's shoulder tighter into him, and pressed his face against Nico's. Well, Percy was holding him now, but it reminded Nico of some movie where the hero cradles the body of their dead lover— not exactly hopeful material. Nico gathered up the last of his courage, his strength.

'Percy, I'm gonna die before you do, okay?' Nico chided at more begging for Nico to kill him. It didn't really seem to help, as Percy began sobbing all over again and hugging him tight, which was painful but Nico wasn't about to stop him.

'I'll be fine, Perce.' Nico said, but his voice broke as his faux strength failed. He was crying again and just grasped Percy's head as well as he could with a hand that barely worked as they both cried. After a few moments, Percy stilled, but when he leaned back up he was giving Nico a slightly more hopeful smile. He began to say something about escape before Nico started strangling him.

~ O ~

So, having both your wrists fractured over a few months isn't great for when you want to strangle you thrice-possessed boyfriend, it seemed. The mania easily threw Nico off its lap before Nico could even try to squeeze, and the demigod landed with his head banging dangerously against the cold rock. Before Nico could blink the spots from his eyes, he felt legs straddling his hips, easily pinning his weak body to the floor. Those insane eyes swept over his still-bleeding chest and slender fingers probed the wounds. Nico felt himself go still— a lamb before a lion, waiting to be devoured. The mania leaned down to whisper something that was probably incredibly terrifying and no small amount important (Nico couldn't hear, part of the whole "blocking everything out so I don't go crazy" thing) in Nico's ear before leaning up again with a scowl on its face and—

_Oh no._

Nico had told himself it was a matter of time, but he was still reeling over seeing the real Percy again. He really couldn't handle being… Gods, "Rape" was such an ugly word.

Nico grasped with unfeeling hands around him for anything to pull on to get away from the hips currently grinding onto his. _Shit, shitshitshitshitshit._

He managed to pull himself away a bit and turn on one side before realising that was probably not the best move. Strong hands came down on his shoulders, pushing Nico onto his front. One arm was trapped painfully between Nico's chest and the rough rock, and the other was quickly grabbed and twisted up and behind him painfully. Painful enough to cry out, and it seemed that was enough to jog Nico's defensive tactics. Hearing, seeing and worst of all _feeling_ was no longer blocked out, and Nico began to tremble and struggle harder.

The mania laughed, which grated Nico's nerves like hearing nails on a chalkboard, and leaned down to swipe its tongue from the base of Nico's spine up to his neck. The feeling of acid seeping into his broken skin and _burning_ was almost negated by the pure agony of having the mania suck a hickey onto Nico's shoulder.

'I love you, Percy,' The acidic voice mocked, making Nico glare at the rocks in front of him in anger. Cold fingers reached down Nico's pants to fondle his hole, before pressing slowly in. Against his will, Nico felt his face scrunch up in an effort to stop tears and his lips begin to tremble. Gods, this was like the claws punishment, but _so much_ worse.

'Ah, fits like a glove. You were just made for me, it seems, Nico.' The fingers rescinded and grasped the hem of Nico's slacks, pulling and tearing the material away easily. Nico may've heard a sob from somewhere, but it didn't make sense for the mania to be crying… Unless…

'Percy!?' Nico gasped out, trying to wriggle around to see his once-again unpossessed boyfriend before he freaked again. Percy must've been in shock still, because the grip on Nico's twisted arm didn't loosen, so he was still stuck in the painful position.

'It's me,' Was breathed from above, and relief flooded through Nico's body, making him finally relax.

'Percy, I—' Nico was cut off by Percy quickly thrusting his member into him, which he had totally forgotten was still ready to go. Panic flooded through Nico's being again, 'Percy, please— I,'

'I love you, I love you so goddamn much,' Percy panted as he grabbed a fistful of Nico's hair to drag his head upwards, exposing his neck and making it difficult to breathe, but also using it as a handhold to pull Nico down harder onto his cock.

Before Nico knew it, it was over. Percy spilled his seed inside Nico with the shudder the son of Hades used to think was enchanting. He pulled out with cautiousness Nico previously found charming, and he left.

Percy left, like — deep down — Nico always knew he would.


	13. Chapter 13, Lovelies (Or: I'm Sorry!)

****Clean re-cap: all right, so mania-Percy tortured Nico, he came to for a minute and apologised heaps, Nico said he'll die before Percy does, the mania raped Nico while Nico believed it was Percy (for a moment).**

**Lucky chapter thirteen, you all know what that means…. *evil smile***

**Warnings: strong language, major character death.**

**Once again, there'll be a clean re-cap of this chapter in the next chapter's A/N in case you don't want to read the gore.**

**Also, if I get a review within one hour of posting this, I'll post the next chapter straight after :* ****

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><p><em>Man, this being crazy thing sucks. <em>

Percy couldn't help but think that as he tried to gather his consciousness in what was currently _not_ his own head.

First he has a pretty nasty fall that quietly definitely scared the living daylights out of Nico, then his brain is taken over by what he figured out must've been Nico's mania. Great.

It was difficult to see anything that was going on, even more infinitely difficult to take control for a moment, but Percy and been fighting the whole way. Time was difficult enough to tell— if he could see out of his eyes for a moment and then later, he couldn't tell if a whole day or even multiple days had passed— but he knew that about a day after waking up he'd taken control. Everything had been fuzzy until then, and Percy's inner frustration was growing until hearing snippet's of Nico's troubled voice made him force his way out of the dream-like state he was trapped in. They'd appeared to be walking, and Percy had just been lucid enough to see he was chained up in Imperial gold, which was not a good sign, before succumbing to the mania's darkness again. Soon after that there'd been a shift in the feeling of his void-like psyche, and it took a while for Percy to grapple his way into control again, but when he did it was apparent the sense of more dread than usual was brought on because the mania had taken his body to Tartarus. Also, Nico was near-dead.

Seeing that and realising he was responsible for it was actually worse than not being in control of his own body, because Nico had lost control of his body, too, and that was something Percy would never wish on anyone.

How Percy now wished he could've grabbed his boyfriend, said boyfriend's sword and busted them the Hades out of that godsforsaken cave, but he'd just frozen, and then apologising seemed the only thing to do.

Percy felt the jostling that meant they were moving stop, and it felt like the mania had jumped back into the cave after a Tartarus stroll. Percy was convinced the only point of those walks was to simply freak Nico out, if not collect Phlegethon fire. Much to Percy's delight and dread, vision began to bleed through to him, but what he saw was… Indescribable.

Nico was on the ground, lying on his front, totally still. Too still.

His legs were spread and those dirty, ripped pants he'd been forced to wear for weeks had been pulled down to his knees, and Percy was really glad he didn't have his own throat at that second because at the sight of dried blood smeared over the back of Nico's thighs, he would've blown chunks. Nico's right arm was twisted up painfully behind his back, and looking closer it seemed his shoulder was broken, along with his right knee, probably both wrists and nearly all of his fingers.

This… Wasn't happening. This couldn't be happening.

Percy could tell the sheer amount of panic that was building in his chest was making his body begin to hyperventilate, so when vision came back, he'd fallen to his knees and was panting like an injured beast.

Nico wasn't… That just didn't happen. Nico was always the one that pulled through. Stuck in his horrified thoughts of denial, Percy lost missed the catchy voice that came from behind him.

_'__Hm, shame. Though I'm not really surprised.' _Just as Percy was calming down and preparing to go wake Nico up, that son of a bitch mania has to go and give him control of his body back, then insult his boyfriend.

Percy spun on his heels to look up at the ghostly figure that was looming over him. The creature that had taken over his mind was… Well, _ghastly_. All dripping venom and sharp bones and fangs, gross.

Percy was incredibly tempted to give the spirit a piece of his mind, but upon seeing Nico's sword out of the corner of his eye, decided killing it would be more satisfying.

Percy glanced at the sword before diving for it, but stumbled a bit when a truckload of unexpected pain hit him all over. The mania quickly used some Jedi-crap to fling the sword to the back of the cave, and Percy cursed himself for making such a rookie mistake as looking at the hidden target. He shifted back to his original position, but moved closer to Nico in case he'd have to protect while Nico was out.

The mania looked at Percy for a moment with a smug smirk on its face, before its expression suddenly changed to one of compassionate pity.

_'__Poor beast, its heart probably just gave out.' _Percy refused to hear what it was saying, but that was probably just because it was trying to convince him Nico was dead. Percy shifted closer to where Nico was lying as if to seek comfort.

'You shut your mouth right now, get the fuck out of my sight, and away from my boyfriend, or I will tear you apart.' Percy threatened in a voice he didn't know he had. The mania laughed a little. Percy didn't know if it was a trick of the light, or if the spirit was coming closer to him, but it seemed to get a little bigger.

_'__To be honest I thought it'd last longer. Quite pathetic—'_

'You _shut_ _up!' _Percy yelled, not caring about attracting more monsters. That looked of badly-hidden entertainment returned as the mania turned its cold gaze on Percy.

_'__You don't see it. Take a close look, demigod, at the one you love.'_

The thought flashed across Percy's mind of why the mania had unpossessed him now, but instead of thinking on it too long he took the mania's offer and turned around to look at Nico. He crawled around to Nico's head to look at his face, but his heart nearly stopped and all the hope he'd had disappeared into thin air when he saw Nico's blue lips. Clouded eyes. Bloodied and broken nose. Yet worst, no pulse. No slight jolting or even the puff of difficult breaths to show Percy that Nico's heart was still beating.

Percy gasped and his arms and legs gave out from under him, and he only just stopped himself from falling on his face.

_'__You did this, Perseus Jackson.' _Percy could hear the satisfaction in the mania's voice as it spoke, and he shook his head dumbly in response, still caught staring at Nico's lifeless face.

_'__You both thought I was here of it. But you were wrong. I am of you, Perseus, and I have shown my purpose. I am you, you who wants to make suffer those who you love.'_

Well, _that_ was wrong enough to drag Percy's gaze back to the mania with a stern, 'No. That's not right, I never wanted to hurt Nico, and I never will. I was scared I would, but that's all.'

The small smile that scratched over the mania's face was a mix of begrudged pride and disgust. It floated toward the cave wall, slowly disappearing from sight.

_'__And now you suffer.'_

Then just like that, Percy was alone. It only took a moment to steel himself.

He tried to take deep breaths as he leaned over and reached out a shaky hand to feel Nico's face, but quickly withdrew from the feeling of hot tears dripping down his face. He rubbed at his face to wipe them away, and some part deep inside of him must've truly believed this was just a vision and if he rubbed his eyes it would go away, but when Percy looked again at Nico's almost blue face, the metaphorical dam broke.

He skittered away from the… From the body, ugly sobs wracking his body as he pressed himself to the cold stone wall. Trying to gather himself failed as something akin to a scream made its way out of his throat when he felt his hands rub on dried flecks of— he looked down to see brown spots; dried blood.

Percy screwed up his hands in the fabric of his pants and squeezed his legs to his chest, breathing heavily and sobbing like a child. This was such a fucking nightmare, there was no way this could be happening.

Yet it was.

'Mi—… Missus O'Leary… Missus… Please, please…' Percy sobbed to into his knees as he heard far off growls and other telltale signs of monsters drawing closer.

That was all right, Percy found himself secretly wishing the hellhound wouldn't come. He wouldn't fight it.


	14. Did I Mention I'm Sorry?

****Recap: Percy comes to, unpossessed and the mania pretty much just taunts him until he sees Nico is dead. There were some pretty graphic injuries, so peeps who skipped, just know he's hurt. The mania revealed it wasn't Nico's mania, it was Percy's, born of his worry of hurting Nico, and left. Percy calls for Mrs. O'Leary, and cries T_T**

**So, I've changed the physics of what can be done in Tartarus for the sake of... Well, this being my story, so deal :3**

**Short, but Percy's perspective again, so woo!****

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><p>Percy lost track of time, but was quickly brought back to reality by a dog's whining that was as loud as the exhaust brakes of a sixteen-wheeler. A large, rough tongue swiped along Percy's face, a matching wet nose trying to push its way into his crossed arms. Percy just pushed Mrs. O'Leary's face away and grabbed onto the fur of her shoulder. He stopped breaking down long enough to pull himself to his feet, ignoring the concerned sounds coming from Mrs. O'Leary. He was about to command her to get him out of there before remembering… Nico's… Body. <em>Oh, fuck.<em>

Percy fell to the ground again, crying uncontrollably as a flash of light erupted from the other side of the hellhound whose fur he was crying into. The thought crossed his mind that it was probably a fireball spat by some infernal monster that had finally tracked down his no longer tainted demigod scent.

But then why was Mrs. O'Leary still so ca—

'Nico?!' A concerned voice called, instantly recognisable. _Jason?! What the… _Mrs. O'Leary bounded away from Percy, making him drop to his hands and knees, tears still streaming from his eyes despite his best efforts to stop.

'Are you dead? Is he there?' Another, higher voice called from what felt like down a tunnel. Ah, that made sense. Cyclopses, imitating people he knew.

'No, he's— Percy?! Wh— Oh shit, Oct—!' Percy looked up into the monster that was about to crunch on his bones, but was overcome by the feeling of confusion as Jason really was in front of him. Percy didn't get it, was this some sort of mirage? Jason was trying to keep Mrs. O'Leary from bowling him over, and Percy knew the son of Zeus usually found their community dog's antic funny, but by the look on Jason's face, he'd seen Nico. Oh.

Percy looked to where Percy had obviously come from; what had to be a portal, made of almost white fire. A wall of fire, right there on the wall. Weird.

Percy let numbness wash over him as he dropped onto his backside on the stone ground. He barely registered Octavian appearing through the portal, nor what the two discussed next.

'He's…' Jason's voice broke, which was new, and Percy could hear he was standing over Nico's body. 'He—…'

'He's dead.' Percy said, staring blankly at the ground, his voice as dead as his beloved. 'I killed him. He's… Dead.'

'What are you talking about?' The voice of Octavian sounding so indignant was _definitely_ not something Percy needed right now, but he supposed they'd have questions and he should probably answer them before he passed out, which he could tell was going to be soon.

'I…' He choked, but forced himself to continue, feeling the stares of the Romans fixed on him. 'I was—' He tried to gather his words, but was cut off by Octavian scoffing. Percy lifted his head to look at them and was just about to tear the Augur a new one when Octavian stepped closer to Nico's… To the corpse.

'Imbeciles.' He muttered, holding a bracelet-wrapped hand over Nico. Percy was dumbfounded, yet even more so as after a second, what seemed like mist lifted off of Nico's cold dead body to reveal an almost exact copy, except this copy was breathing, moving and _alive._

'… Nico?' Percy whispered, realising the mist wasn't mist at all, it was _Mist._ 'Nico?!' Percy screamed this time, jumping up to go to his boyfriend only to be stopped by Jason, who wrapped his stupid muscled oversized arms around Percy in a bearhug to stop him from going closer.

'Whoa, man, if you did hurt him then I think—'

'I don't give a _fuck_ what you think!' Percy shouted, accentuating the curse with a hard knee to Jason's stomach. Percy had just enough time to see Octavian kneeling by Nico —who'd rolled onto his other side, and was breathing, and _oh gods thank you— _and possibly say something to him before Jason recovered and, using the momentum of Percy rushing to Nico, flipped the son of Poseidon over his shoulder and promptly threw both of them back through the portal.

Landing hard on the dusty earth of New Rome, despite his bet efforts, Percy passed out before he could even gather his thoughts.

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><p><strong>**Yay! Nico's aliiiivvveee! Sorry y'all, I just knew I had to do that… Douchebag Octavian…Next is chapter fifteen, and that'll be the second last chapter before this series ends and I announce the next, so enjoy while you can! (╥<strong>**﹏╥****) ****


	15. Short, And Not Sweet

****Chapter 15. Second last of YCLTD, get ya comments in now, please tell me how you think it's all going, and what I can improve on. Love you all :* **

**Also I'm really feeling like some Jasico…. Maybe I'll start a new Jasico series… I want it to be a High School AU…. Hmm, ideas, ideas…**

**Also, the name "Melissa" is a little wink-wink to a short story I just published on FictionPress. If you want to check it out, here ya go: **Has Themes Of Greek Mythology!** I'm not sure if that link will work, but I'll check it out.***

Consciousness came back to him slowly, irritatingly so. Blinking away the greyness from the corners of his vision, Percy could tell he'd slept for many days. If only there was someone around… Wherever this was, to ask. Looking around, it wasn't the nice, airy Camp Half-Blood infirmary, but it was definitely a medical centre, so he decided he was in New Rome.

Nico.

_Oh gods, oh my fucking gods._ Percy felt a certain degree of worry that he'd thought was normal return to his stomach, weighing him down from the inside. Fighting the dread that threatened to drag him down, Percy heaved himself into sitting upright and swung his legs over the side of the cot. He was wearing linen pants and a matching shirt, standard Roman hospital-wear.

Taking deep breaths and telling himself not to freak out, that he could ask the first person he saw where Nico was and they'd probably know, he unsteadily got to his feet.

A pinching sensation in his stomach made the son of Poseidon want to double over in pain, but he fought the cramping and other aches all over his body to take a few tentative steps toward the double doors at the end of the ward.

He worried about losing his balance by pushing them open, but it turned out he didn't have to. A young girl, possibly no more than fifteen stepped through the doors when Percy was a few metres away, and started when she saw him out of bed.

'I know, I know what you're going to say, but really, don't waste your breath because I need to find my boyfriend and I'm going to find him _now.'_ Percy said before she had a chance to speak. The girl —Melissa, read her name tag— shut her slightly open mouth, nodded, and turned to leave, but held the door open after her for Percy to follow.

'I'll take you to Praetor Avila-Ramirez Arellano.' She said.

~ O ~

Melissa had fetched some clean clothes and runners from Percy's cabin (he smelled the shirt as it went over his head and it brought tears to his eyes to smell Nico on his clothing), so soon he was trudging up the dirt path to Reyna's office. Slowly, but still getting there. Percy knew he was receiving curious looks, at best, and Melissa had stopped multiple times to make him take a breath, but before he knew it (actually, it seemed like ages) he was at the praetor offices, outside Reyna's door.

Melissa gave him a once-over, nodded and knocked on the door before opening it for him. Percy grumbled his thanks and walked gingerly inside, fighting the nausea that was about to make him "rainbow yawn".

'Percy,' Reyna said from her desk, her voice carefully schooled so as to not give away any emotion. She was good at it. The praetor stood and directed Percy to a nearby chair, helping him down to it.

'I'm guessing you've come about Nico.' She said, that cold tone putting too many bad thoughts into Percy's head as to why Nico wasn't there himself.

'What happened?' He croaked, feeling even sicker at Reyna's slightly disturbed expression. She cleared her throat and the praetor face was back.

'It seemed after you were injured, a mania was able to take over your body, but I'm sure you know that already.' Reyna began, never one to beat around the bush. 'I suppose Nico, vigilant as ever, caught on and lured you to the Underworld, so that he could meet with Lord Hades. I'm not so sure what happened after that, but Rachael turned up not long after you three left, but Nico and you were still down there for weeks.'

Percy flinched at Reyna's use of the word "you".

'What happened down there is unimportant, Percy—' Percy couldn't bring himself to tell her that wasn't true. 'What's important is that the two of you are back, relieved from duties, and as soon as our healers say you're able, you'll be released and —if you like— escorted to your Greek camp where Nico is.' That claimed Percy's wandering attention.

'Wait, what? Why is Nico there?!'

Reyna explained as gently as she could of how Nico had been badly injured, and though they attended to him immediately, he was moved to Camp Half-Blood as soon as possible for fear of him waking up and—

'… Well… We assumed it was you possessed as the mania that had injured him. If he'd woken up and you'd been nearby, we— the _healers_ were worried he'd be… Scared.'

Like before, Percy didn't try to fight her words. Less this time out of redundancy and more out of trying to spare himself more inner turmoil. He knew what she had said was true.

Percy thanked Reyna and left, heading back to his cabin to pack. He had a boyfriend to talk to.


	16. 2-4-6-8, Who Do We Appreciate! SALLY!

****Last chapter. I apologise for my English spelling of "mom".**

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><p>Percy trudged up the steps to the door of the townhouse his mum and Paul had moved into, head hung low and feet dragging as if they wanted to take him elsewhere. Which, with a heavy heart, Percy knew was true.<p>

Using the key that had been mailed (harpy-mail, actually) to him at Camp Half-Blood, Percy let himself in and tried to appear less glum for his mother.

'Hello?! I'm here!' Percy called out down the long, well-lit hallway of Sally Jackson's house. Percy dropped his bag by the bottom of the adjacent staircase, having been told (multiple times, by very excited Iris-Messages) his room was upstairs, and kicked off his shoes.

'Mum? Paul!' He tried again.

'Percy?!' Sally Jackson's voice called from further in the house, and Percy couldn't help the small that lit up his face at his mum's voice. 'Perce? You here?!' She called again.

'Yeah mum, I'm here,' Percy said with a smile growing through is mother's yelling of "Paul! Paul, he's here!"

He padded down the hall, emerging into a kitchen/living room open area, his mum standing behind the kitchen island bench, a cloud of flour around her and the smell of vanilla in the air. She grinned at Percy as he breathed in the heavenly scent.

'Mum, you didn't…' He started.

'You know I did.' Sally replied, looking very happy with herself. Percy grinned back.

'And I love you for it,' He said, coming closer for a hug, which he gratuitously recieved. Once half-squeezed to death, Percy pulled back to smile again at his mum, and saw her own grin had diminished enough to become almost forlorn.

'Any word?' She asked gently. Percy hesitated before shaking his head, a small smile forced as far as he could on his lips.

'No, not over-world or under.' He said quietly. Once arriving back at Camp Half-Blood, Percy had been treated the same way the once-reverent Romans had treated him; like he was a dangerous animal that couldn't be provoked. Upon hearing Nico had shadow-travelled the Hades out of there once he'd felt Percy enter the camp, Percy pretty much entered a fit of rage which was also fuelled by heartbreak and may've flooded the strawberry fields (before apologising profusely to the nymphs and drawing back the lake). Percy had stayed at camp for the night to re-supply and rest before setting off again. Using his various skills gained over the past half-decade of being a wanted demigod, he pretty much travelled around the world, searching for any sign of Nico. Most of the four months that had passed since leaving CHB had been spent in the USA and in Italy (if not the Underworld), and the surrounding countries. Sure, Percy had to endure a whole lot more monster-based crap because he was in the Old lands, but he simply dealt with it, fuelled by finding Nico and at least apologising.

Neither of which he had achieved before pretty much _having _to visit his mum and start going to mortal school again. He'd received special time off —courtesy of Paul's sweet talking— which he'd greatly overstepped, plus, Sally missed her son, so she'd been nagging Percy to come back despite constantly telling him how much she wished he'd find Nico.

'Hey, Percy!' A masculine voice called from behind Percy. The demigod turned to see Paul Blofis, his stepdad, coming in for a hug, which Percy gladly met. 'Long time-no see, kiddo!

Half and hour later, the three are sitting on the lounges in the other side of the room, Paul requesting to hear all about Percy's "trip" after it was pointed out that the side of Percy's head was slightly singed.

Still forcing a smile onto his face, Percy looked down into his cup of soda, not really knowing how to respond. Sensing his discomfort, Sally asked Paul to excuse she and her son for a few minutes. Knowing better than to waste his breath asking if he'd said something wrong, Paul left for his study. Sally stood slowly to come and sit next to Percy, who was still staring into his cup.

They two sat in silence for a few minutes before Percy spoke.

'I… I l-looked so hard,' Percy stuttered, the tears that had been building in his eyes finally spilling over and falling onto his lap, Sally having taken his cup before in could spill.

Being a mortal with a sorely over-hunted child, Sally didn't actually know that much about what happened over the last… Half a year, now. She knew that something capital-B-italics-worthy _Bad_ happened to Nico, or between Percy and Nico, and Nico had been in hiding, Percy nearly getting himself killed dozens of times in his attempt to track Nico down. But now he was back…

'Percy, I—…'

'I spent so much time, and it just got worse when I didn't find him, and I went to freaking _Hades_ for gods' sake, and he…' Percy choked on a sob, and Sally broke a little inside to see her child hurting so badly. 'He didn't help me, he didn't even say anything…'

Sally gathered up Percy in the biggest, tightest hug she could manage, and tried to think of something to say. Percy just cried.

'I looked and I looked, mum, I just… I didn't…' Percy broke down and wrapped shaking arms around his mother.

'Percy…' Sally began, taking another deep breath when Percy obviously stopped rambling to listen. 'He's here.'

It took exactly two and a half seconds for Percy to understand what his mother was saying— Sally knew, she counted. He pulled back abruptly, looking at Sally with red-rimmed eyes.

'What?'

'I'm so sorry sweetie, he asked us not to tell you unt—'

'Where.'

Sally tried to evaluate exactly how her son was feeling and how he would react to seeing Nico right now, but at that moment, the only expression on Percy's face was betrayal and desperation.

'Your room.' She said. 'Upstairs.'

Percy was gone. He scrambled up from the couch and ran back toward the staircase like the Minotaur had just busted through the wall and was chasing him, the only thought in his head being of his... Of Nico.

~ O ~

Percy stopped abruptly before his doorway, only looking in his room for now. It wasn't like he didn't trust him mum and thought she was lying, it was just… Nico.

Percy took one step forward to look around before saying anything. His room had been set up painstakingly by his mum, with every item he'd ever collected for his room in the years before lovingly placed where Sally thought Percy would like it.

To the right, his bed, a window casting light on him from the middle-back wall, and a bookshelf (kind of bare) and desk hugging the right wall.

'To be honest, you took longer than I thought…' A quiet voice came from the left side of the room. Percy's head whipped back to that side of the room and scoured it for Nico. Something moved, and Percy stopped breathing when he saw what could've only been the top of Nico's head (no one else besides Percy had hair that dark) behind his bed. Percy was speechless.

'With the looking thing, I mean. You took like…' The person —_Nico,_ Nico was actually there, in his bedroom— moved to sit up, and dark eyes looked at Percy over his bed. '… A month more than I thought you would.'

Nico's voice was quiet; Percy didn't want to acknowledge that the boy he loved sounded scared of him. Slowly, the son of Poseidon came to kneel by the other side of the bed, as if approaching a wounded animal, which was half-correct, he realised.

'Yeah, my mum was kind of bugging me for a while…' Percy started, hoping more than anything he wouldn't do something wrong and Nico would… Go _poof._

Nico smiled a little, but it wasn't happy, not even amused; just rueful.

'Yeah, I guess… She got that I…' _Wanted me back? Could forgive me? Please, Nico… _'… Was ready to see you.'

Percy nodded and looked down into his lap.

'Nico…' He started quietly, only realising at this moment that chances were Nico could forgive him, eventually, but things would never be the same.

'You're wondering what to do from here?' Percy glanced up to see Nico actually meeting his eyes this time, but still with that heartbreaking little smile of his. Percy nodded, feeling tears come to his already-irritated eyes again. Nico gave a little nod as well and looked back to where Percy guessed he was hugging his knees.

'I still love you, you know…' He said quietly, and Percy bit his lip to hold back a sob at how broken and ready to give up Nico sounded. 'I do. I always have, and I think I always will. But… I don't know what to do next either.' Nico said, his admission barely a whisper.

'Nico, I will do _anything_ to make this right, or… Help you get…' Percy's voice stopped working at that point, his voice shaking too much to get anything out. He was just hurting _so bad_ for Nico, who was only looking at him like _that_ again. Like they were still together, still in love. Percy's thoughts were racing, and he laughed a little at a new realisation.

'I just… I just realised… This is all my fault.' Percy laughed brokenly among choked sobs and tried half-heartedly to wipe the tears blurring his vision. He knew Nico was still looking at him, and wasn't talking because he knew Percy needed to get stuff off his chest, too. 'If I… If I wasn't being so… Y'know, _me_ on the aqueduct, then I wouldn't have fallen, 'nd…' Percy sniffed, and stopped talking in return for biting his lip again. This was meant to be about Nico, and how sorry Percy was for hurting him— that's all. Percy swore to himself to not even think about anything else happening because there was no chance of anything being right between them again.

The next time Percy glanced up, Nico had shuffled to face him more, both hands folded neatly on the edge of the bed.

The two sat in silence for a few minutes, and while Nico just stared serenely at his folded hands, Percy took the moments to calm down and try and stop crying. Which every time he even looked at Nico, he resumed.

'Nico…' He choked, 'I'm… I'm so, so s-sorry,' Percy looked down into his lap as he choked up again, and missed the calm mask Nico had been wearing break, and the son of Hades look at him with only love and understanding in his eyes.

'Perce…'

'I-I think that… If I c'n… Just…' Shit, this was not going how Percy wanted it to._ Just stop fucking crying, apologise properly and leave him alone, Percy!_

'Percy,' Nico said quietly, extending one hand across the bed. Percy was still crying quietly to himself, so Nico just watched with tears of his own forming and waited for Percy to get it all out.

'If I can just f-feel… I'm so… Nico, I'm…'

'Hey, Perce,' Nico chided gently, drawing Percy's attention. The other teen looked up, face going from utter dejection to blank confusion when he saw Nico's hand extended to him. 'Percy, it's obvious neither of us have been in a situation like this before, and I don't think anyone we know has, so… We're just going to have to figure this out ourselves, okay?' Nico suggested, watching Percy's face scrunch up slightly in bewilderment.

'Percy, remember when you helped me to stop cutting? When you helped me to stop hating myself and give myself a chance?' Percy, still quite in shock felt his heart beat even faster when Nico's face began to tremble with the strain of holding back tears. 'You taught me that sometimes,' Nico's fingers wriggling moved Percy's attention back to them, but he looked back up at Nico in shock, not understanding how this was happening.

'You taught me that the hating has to stop, eventually. Percy…' Tears began to roll down Nico's cheeks and Percy's shattered heart twisted a little more. 'I love you, _you_, and I know that _thing_ wasn't you. It didn't look like you, 'cos it wasn't you,' Nico shook his head, the tears still coming, 'And I know you love me, too. I need you— I need…' Nico looked down into his lap to sniff and shake the tears that were blocking his vision away, and looked back up with a pained smile.

'I want to forgo the danger, Perce.' Was all Nico said. Percy blinked multiple times, trying to take in what Nico was saying. Obviously, he must've taken too long because by the time he began paying attention to what was happening outside his head again, Nico had stopped crying and was smiling at him.

'It smells like you in here,' Nico whispered, his voice breaking through trembling lips.

Finally, Percy computed what just happened, and an indescribable amount of joy blossomed in his chest. He slowly reached out to lightly grasp Nico's still-extended hand with his own.

'… Would you like to stay?' He asked gently, half of him already knowing the answer. Nico's tearful smile grew and he nodded, to which Percy nodded in return, both of them beginning to cry again, but not half as much out of sadness as before.

They sat like that for a few minutes before there was a light knock at the door. Sally came in, smiling gratefully at the two and seeing they were going to attempt being back together again, and promptly offered them some blue cookies.

* * *

><p><strong>**Well, I love Sally. It's just a universal fact that she's <strong>**_the best_****. **

**Oh yeah, this was the last chapter. Wow, 35k story, well done TJ! *pats self on the back* Please tell me what you think before I post the epilogue (+ a few other things in chap 17) because I might have to re-upload it to change stuff, idk… Well, this story has been fun. I really liked writing the "sometimes the hating has to stop" line because I think that's the most profound message I've come across in life so far, so I'm really glad to share it with all you in some form. **

**Stay tuned, love you all.**

**- TJ****


	17. Epilogue, Enjoy

****So, epilogue, what have you got in store for us now?**

**— ****Read me, and find out, d*ckhead!**

**Whoah, dude. **

**Kids read this. **

**Language. **

**Nah but yeah, the name for the third of this "quadrology"(?) will be posted on my page ****_as soon_**** as this chapter has been posted. Check it out. Clues in title. (Though I'm kind of OCD, so to keep this series in alphabetical order in the right order when you see them on my page, the third one had to start with "You Can't Love U/V/W/X" So my choices were limited, bear with me, I think I've managed.)****

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><p><em>~ Three Months Later, New York ~<em>

Nico took a deep breath and rounded the corner into the Jackson's/Blofis' living room, where an unruly menagerie of demigods were waiting for their popcorn.

Percy threw him a bright smile, and once Nico had divided two bowls of popcorn between Reyna, Leo and Malcolm, and Rachael, Octavian and Jason (the last two very obligatorily invited), he cautiously settled in beside Percy, who gently lay his arm around Nico's shoulders to reach the last bowl of popcorn the two would share.

Nico smiled up at Percy to tell him the action was okay, and after smiling back (and multiple catcalls and _Come on!'_s from everyone else), Percy began the movie.

_Finding Nemo_ began to play, and it was just after everyone had settled into silence at seeing Nemo's mum brutally murdered that Nico reached for the remote and paused the film.

'What? No!' Leo cried, tossing popcorn over everyone in an effort to find who'd paused the movie.

'You okay, Nico?' Reyna turned and asked the in-deep-thought demigod, the beginnings of amusement on her face. 'We can pick another movie.'

'What?!' Leo squealed, much to the bemusement of Rachael and Malcolm. 'No way José, we gotta see what happens!'

After calmly reassuring Leo that they weren't going to change movies, Nico turned to Jason, who promptly blanched and began to study his popcorn bowl in depth which Octavian kept munching on handfuls taken from it.

'Jason,' Nico began, trying his best not to sound standoffish. Nico was looking intently at the son of Zeus until the blond —obviously sensing his stare— looked up and matched his gaze. Nico looked hurriedly around the room, anywhere except Jason's oblivious and punchable face, adding: 'I'm sorry if this kind of ruins the mood, but, um… It's kind of something I've been wondering for a while…'

Supportive and understanding nods and hums were interrupted by the obnoxious sound of the last of a smoothie being sucked up through a straw. One by one, almost scarily peeved gazes turned to Octavian, who was simply chilling with his glass, straw still in his mouth. After looking around, innocently at everyone, the augur saw he may've ruined some kind of moment, got up to refill his cup.

'Um,' Nico began again, frowning at the interruption and drawing everyone's attention back except that of the aloof augur. 'Well, Jason, I was kind of thinking… How did you… Find us? In… Tartarus, I mean.' Nico stammered out, silently relieved as the room turned to Jason in stead of him. Nico felt a hand (unmistakably Percy's) intertwine itself into his hands that had been fiddling nervously in his lap the whole time.

'Oh!' Jason exclaimed, surprisingly not as put out by the question as Nico thought he'd be. 'Well, it's actually not me you should be asking.' Jason stated, turning a pointed gaze on Octavian, who'd just reentered the room, water-filled cup in hand; he stopped abruptly, sensing he'd just been told on for doing something bad. Nico couldn't help but feel that by the tone of Jason's confession, the other demigod had been wondering that, too.

'O—Octavian?' Nico said, suddenly quite fearful of what he could be about to hear. For weeks he'd been preparing himself for an explanation from Jason, but this was unexpected, and unexpected events tended to set off Nico's anxiety and panic attacks.

'What? What'd I do?' Octavian asked while gingerly resuming his place at the foot of the main couch, still looking at everyone with a clueless look on his face.

'You opened up a portal into Tartarus.' Jason casually declared, and Nico was glad no one was looking at him so they didn't see him flinch. 'Right where Nico and Percy were. How was that?'

Octavian's face paled in… Not exactly fear, but the look of someone being caught out on a lie, for a moment, before he cleared his throat.

'Well, I used a quite frankly _unhealthy_ amount of power from Phoebus Apollo, which none of you have thanked me for yet, to open the portal using a few other tricks.' Octavian stated, his air of calm nonchalance having returned.

'Tricks like what?' Leo said before anyone else could speak, frowning intently, as curious as the rest of them. For a mere demigod to pull off something most major deities struggled with… One could understand the curiosity.

'… Blood magic.' Octavian said quietly before quickly taking a sip of his water, clearly trying to avoid questions.

Quite a few voices called out in disbelief and anger, among other things, but it was Nico who wanted answers the most, so his voice rang out above everyone else's.

'How would you have done that?' He questioned, not letting his voice waver an inch, and it seemed to do the trick. Everyone stopped their bickering, even Octavian raised a brow at his assertiveness.

'When you… When you bled on the floor of the temple that day… I…' Nico began to cringe in preparation for whatever weird (at best) thing Octavian was struggling to get out, but Rachael beat the augur to it.

'You _collected_ it.' She said while visibly shivering through the statement. Everyone except Octavian seemed to share her sentiment as he burst out in his own defence.

'Well you— you... You questing _meatheads_ are always getting into trouble! I thought I'd— it'd come in handy some time.'

Nico was surprised to hear no real venom behind the words Octavian spat, and was even more surprised to see the other demigod fixing his gaze on him while he spoke.

Once again, the room filled with noise as the "questing meatheads" jumped to their own defence.

'Wait, wait, why would you even _do _that?' Nico demanded, possibly asking about the attempted stabbing, or the locator spell, though not really expecting a proper response from the I'll-do-as-I-want-I'm-an-augur demigod.

In an expression Nico couldn't place, Octavian frowned.

'... No one gets to kill you 'cept me.' The blond said quietly, but filled with a vehemence that shocked Nico greatly. After a moment, Rachael laughed out loud, clearly trying to break the slightly awkward silence that had come over everyone.

'Careful, Tavy, we might think you're in love with Nico, or something.' She joked, reaching for more popcorn.

There was a round of amused chuckles from almost everyone, them having deemed that topic dealt with. Still, Nico was dumbstruck staring at Octavian, who'd blushed vividly at the suggestion and took a clearly nervous sip of water. At the action, everyone looked at him again and the intention was clearly seen by all.

'Oh, COME ON.'

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><p><strong>**Heh, so, yeah. I liked that ending. If you were wondering, it was Percy who said that last part. Hey, just watched Antman, and since I'll be doing a few other fandoms before "*check my page for the third story's name that will be published as soon as this chapter will be*", an Antman one might be on the list. Who knows, check my page for the updated list of <strong>**_Working-On_**** fics. **

**Thank you everyone so much for reading this story, I know my updating schedule has been spotty at best, but it really means a lot to hear what you're thinking about what I write. Thank you again, see you soon. **

**- TJ****


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